shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: What is (are) Heart Murmur ?
Answer: A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud. Sometimes they sound like a whooshing or swishing noise.
Normal heartbeats make a "lub-DUPP" or "lub-DUB" sound. This is the sound of the heart valves closing as blood moves through the heart. Doctors can hear these sounds and heart murmurs using a stethoscope.
Overview
The two types of heart murmurs are innocent (harmless) and abnormal.
Innocent heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems. These murmurs are common in healthy children. Many children will have heart murmurs heard by their doctors at some point in their lives.
People who have abnormal heart murmurs may have signs or symptoms of heart problems. Most abnormal murmurs in children are caused by congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart defects. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth.
In adults, abnormal heart murmurs most often are caused by acquired heart valve disease. This is heart valve disease that develops as the result of another condition. Infections, diseases, and aging can cause heart valve disease.
Outlook
A heart murmur isn't a disease, and most murmurs are harmless. Innocent murmurs don't cause symptoms. Having one doesn't require you to limit your physical activity or do anything else special. Although you may have an innocent murmur throughout your life, you won't need treatment for it.
The outlook and treatment for abnormal heart murmurs depend on the type and severity of the heart problem causing them.
Question: What are the symptoms of Heart Murmur ?
Answer: People who have innocent (harmless) heart murmurs don't have any signs or symptoms other than the murmur itself. This is because innocent heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems.
People who have abnormal heart murmurs may have signs or symptoms of the heart problems causing the murmurs. These signs and symptoms may include:
Poor eating and failure to grow normally (in infants)
Shortness of breath, which may occur only with physical exertion
Excessive sweating with minimal or no exertion
Chest pain
Dizziness or fainting
A bluish color on the skin, especially on the fingertips and lips
Chronic cough
Swelling or sudden weight gain
Enlarged liver
Enlarged neck veins
Signs and symptoms depend on the problem causing the heart murmur and its severity.
Question: What are the treatments for Heart Murmur ?
Answer: A heart murmur isn't a disease. It's an extra or unusual sound heard during the heartbeat. Thus, murmurs themselves don't require treatment. However, if an underlying condition is causing a heart murmur, your doctor may recommend treatment for that condition.
Innocent (Harmless) Heart Murmurs
Healthy children who have innocent (harmless) heart murmurs don't need treatment. Their heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems or other conditions.
Pregnant women who have innocent heart murmurs due to extra blood volume also don't need treatment. Their heart murmurs should go away after pregnancy.
Abnormal Heart Murmurs
If you or your child has an abnormal heart murmur, your doctor will recommend treatment for the disease or condition causing the murmur.
Some medical conditions, such as anemia or hyperthyroidism, can cause heart murmurs that aren't related to heart disease. Treating these conditions should make the heart murmur go away.
If a congenital heart defect is causing a heart murmur, treatment will depend on the type and severity of the defect. Treatment may include medicines or surgery. For more information about treatments for congenital heart defects, go to the Health Topics Congenital Heart Defects article.
If acquired heart valve disease is causing a heart murmur, treatment usually will depend on the type, amount, and severity of the disease.
Currently, no medicines can cure heart valve disease. However, lifestyle changes and medicines can treat symptoms and help delay complications. Eventually, though, you may need surgery to repair or replace a faulty heart valve.
For more information about treatments for heart valve disease, go to the Health Topics Heart Valve Disease article.
Question: What is (are) Heart Block ?
Answer: Heart block is a problem that occurs with the heart's electrical system. This system controls the rate and rhythm of heartbeats. ("Rate" refers to the number of times your heart beats per minute. "Rhythm" refers to the pattern of regular or irregular pulses produced as the heart beats.)
With each heartbeat, an electrical signal spreads across the heart from the upper to the lower chambers. As it travels, the signal causes the heart to contract and pump blood.
Heart block occurs if the electrical signal is slowed or disrupted as it moves through the heart.
Overview
Heart block is a type of arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah). An arrhythmia is any problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.
Some people are born with heart block, while others develop it during their lifetimes. If you're born with the condition, it's called congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart block. If the condition develops after birth, it's called acquired heart block.
Doctors might detect congenital heart block before or after a baby is born. Certain diseases that may occur during pregnancy can cause heart block in a baby. Some congenital heart defects also can cause heart block. Congenital heart defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. Often, doctors don't know what causes these defects.
Acquired heart block is more common than congenital heart block. Damage to the heart muscle or its electrical system causes acquired heart block. Diseases, surgery, or medicines can cause this damage.
The three types of heart block are first degree, second degree, and third degree. First degree is the least severe, and third degree is the most severe. This is true for both congenital and acquired heart block.
Doctors use a test called an EKG (electrocardiogram) to help diagnose heart block. This test detects and records the heart's electrical activity. It maps the data on a graph for the doctor to review.
Outlook
The symptoms and severity of heart block depend on which type you have. First-degree heart block may not cause any severe symptoms.
Second-degree heart block may result in the heart skipping a beat or beats. This type of heart block also can make you feel dizzy or faint.
Third-degree heart block limits the heart's ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. This type of heart block may cause fatigue (tiredness), dizziness, and fainting. Third-degree heart block requires prompt treatment because it can be fatal.
A medical device called a pacemaker is used to treat third-degree heart block and some cases of second-degree heart block. This device uses electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate. Pacemakers typically are not used to treat first-degree heart block.
All types of heart block may increase your risk for other arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (A-tre-al fih-brih-LA-shun). Talk with your doctor to learn more about the signs and symptoms of arrhythmias.
Question: What causes Heart Block ?
Answer: Heart block has many causes. Some people are born with the disorder (congenital), while others develop it during their lifetimes (acquired).
Congenital Heart Block
One form of congenital heart block occurs in babies whose mothers have autoimmune diseases, such as lupus. People who have these diseases make proteins called antibodies that attack and damage the body's tissues or cells.
In pregnant women, antibodies can cross the placenta. (The placenta is the organ that attaches the umbilical cord to the mother's womb.) These proteins can damage the baby's heart and lead to congenital heart block.
Congenital heart defects also may cause congenital heart block. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. Often, doctors don't know what causes these defects.
Acquired Heart Block
Many factors can cause acquired heart block. Examples include:
Damage to the heart from a heart attack. This is the most common cause of acquired heart block.
Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease.
Myocarditis (MI-o-kar-DI-tis), or inflammation of the heart muscle.
Heart failure.
Rheumatic (roo-MAT-ik) fever.
Cardiomyopathy (KAR-de-o-mi-OP-a-the), or heart muscle diseases.
Other diseases may increase the risk of heart block. Examples include sarcoidosis (sar-koy-DOE-sis) and the degenerative muscle disorders Lev's disease and Lenegre's disease.
Certain types of surgery also may damage the heart's electrical system and lead to heart block.
Exposure to toxic substances and taking certain medicinesincluding digitalis, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockersalso may cause heart block. Doctors closely watch people who are taking these medicines for signs of problems.
Some types of heart block have been linked to genetic mutations (changes in the genes).
An overly active vagus nerve also can cause heart block. You have one vagus nerve on each side of your body. These nerves run from your brain stem all the way to your abdomen. Activity in the vagus nerve slows the heart rate.
In some cases, acquired heart block may go away if the factor causing it is treated or resolved. For example, heart block that occurs after a heart attack or surgery may go away during recovery.
Also, if a medicine is causing heart block, the disorder may go away if the medicine is stopped or the dosage is lowered. Always talk with your doctor before you change the way you take your medicines.
Question: Who is at risk for Heart Block? ?
Answer: The risk factors for congenital and acquired heart block are different.
Congenital Heart Block
If a pregnant woman has an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, her fetus is at risk for heart block.
Autoimmune diseases can cause the body to make proteins called antibodies that can cross the placenta. (The placenta is the organ that attaches the umbilical cord to the mother's womb.) These antibodies may damage the baby's heart and lead to congenital heart block.
Congenital heart defects also can cause heart block. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. Most of the time, doctors don't know what causes congenital heart defects.
Heredity may play a role in certain heart defects. For example, a parent who has a congenital heart defect might be more likely than other people to have a child with the condition.
Acquired Heart Block
Acquired heart block can occur in people of any age. However, most types of the condition are more common in older people. This is because many of the risk factors are more common in older people.
People who have a history of heart disease or heart attacks are at increased risk for heart block. Examples of heart disease that can lead to heart block include heart failure, coronary heart disease, and cardiomyopathy (heart muscle diseases).
Other diseases also may raise the risk of heart block, such as sarcoidosis and the degenerative muscle disorders Lev's disease and Lenegre's disease.
Exposure to toxic substances or taking certain medicines, such as digitalis, also can raise your risk for heart block.
Well-trained athletes and young people are at higher risk for first-degree heart block caused by an overly active vagus nerve. You have one vagus nerve on each side of your body. These nerves run from your brain stem all the way to your abdomen. Activity in the vagus nerve slows the heart rate.
Question: What are the symptoms of Heart Block ?
Answer: Signs and symptoms depend on the type of heart block you have. First-degree heart block may not cause any symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of second- and third-degree heart block include:
Fainting
Dizziness or light-headedness
Fatigue (tiredness)
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
These symptoms may suggest other health problems as well. If these symptoms are new or severe, call 911 or have someone drive you to the hospital emergency room. If you have milder symptoms, talk with your doctor right away to find out whether you need prompt treatment.
Question: What are the treatments for Heart Block ?
Answer: Treatment depends on the type of heart block you have. If you have first-degree heart block, you may not need treatment.
If you have second-degree heart block, you may need a pacemaker. A pacemaker is a small device that's placed under the skin of your chest or abdomen. This device uses electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate.
If you have third-degree heart block, you will need a pacemaker. In an emergency, a temporary pacemaker might be used until you can get a long-term device. Most people who have third-degree heart block need pacemakers for the rest of their lives.
Some people who have third-degree congenital heart block don't need pacemakers for many years. Others may need pacemakers at a young age or during infancy.
If a pregnant woman has an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, her fetus is at risk for heart block. If heart block is detected in a fetus, the mother might be given medicine to reduce the fetus' risk of developing serious heart block.
Sometimes acquired heart block goes away if the factor causing it is treated or resolved. For example, heart block that occurs after a heart attack or surgery may go away during recovery.
Also, if a medicine is causing heart block, the condition may go away if the medicine is stopped or the dosage is lowered. (Always talk with your doctor before you change the way you take your medicines.)
Question: What is (are) Asthma ?
Answer: Espaol
Asthma (AZ-ma) is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. The coughing often occurs at night or early in the morning.
Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood. In the United States, more than 25 million people are known to have asthma. About 7million of these people are children.
Overview
To understand asthma, it helps to know how the airways work. The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs. People who have asthma have inflamed airways. The inflammation makes the airways swollen and very sensitive. The airways tend to react strongly to certain inhaled substances.
When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This narrows the airways, causing less air to flow into the lungs. The swelling also can worsen, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways might make more mucus than usual. Mucus is a sticky, thick liquid that can further narrow the airways.
This chain reaction can result in asthma symptoms. Symptoms can happen each time the airways are inflamed.
Asthma
Sometimes asthma symptoms are mild and go away on their own or after minimal treatment with asthma medicine. Other times, symptoms continue to get worse.
When symptoms get more intense and/or more symptoms occur, you're having an asthma attack. Asthma attacks also are called flareups or exacerbations (eg-zas-er-BA-shuns).
Treating symptoms when you first notice them is important. This will help prevent the symptoms from worsening and causing a severe asthma attack. Severe asthma attacks may require emergency care, and they can be fatal.
Outlook
Asthma has no cure. Even when you feel fine, you still have the disease and it can flare up at any time.
However, with today's knowledge and treatments, most people who have asthma are able to manage the disease. They have few, if any, symptoms. They can live normal, active lives and sleep through the night without interruption from asthma.
If you have asthma, you can take an active role in managing the disease. For successful, thorough, and ongoing treatment, build strong partnerships with your doctor and other health care providers.
Question: What causes Asthma ?
Answer: The exact cause of asthma isn't known. Researchers think some genetic and environmental factors interact to cause asthma, most often early in life. These factors include:
An inherited tendency to develop allergies, called atopy (AT-o-pe)
Parents who have asthma
Certain respiratory infections during childhood
Contact with some airborne allergens or exposure to some viral infections in infancy or in early childhood when the immune system is developing
If asthma or atopy runs in your family, exposure to irritants (for example, tobacco smoke) may make your airways more reactive to substances in the air.
Some factors may be more likely to cause asthma in some people than in others. Researchers continue to explore what causes asthma.
The "Hygiene Hypothesis"
One theory researchers have for what causes asthma is the "hygiene hypothesis." They believe that our Western lifestylewith its emphasis on hygiene and sanitationhas resulted in changes in our living conditions and an overall decline in infections in early childhood.
Many young children no longer have the same types of environmental exposures and infections as children did in the past. This affects the way that young children's immune systems develop during very early childhood, and it may increase their risk for atopy and asthma. This is especially true for children who have close family members with one or both of these conditions.
Question: Who is at risk for Asthma? ?
Answer: Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood. In the United States, more than 22 million people are known to have asthma. Nearly 6 million of these people are children.
Young children who often wheeze and have respiratory infectionsas well as certain other risk factorsare at highest risk of developing asthma that continues beyond 6 years of age. The other risk factors include having allergies, eczema (an allergic skin condition), or parents who have asthma.
Among children, more boys have asthma than girls. But among adults, more women have the disease than men. It's not clear whether or how sex and sex hormones play a role in causing asthma.
Most, but not all, people who have asthma have allergies.
Some people develop asthma because of contact with certain chemical irritants or industrial dusts in the workplace. This type of asthma is called occupational asthma.
Question: What are the symptoms of Asthma ?
Answer: Common signs and symptoms of asthma include:
Coughing. Coughing from asthma often is worse at night or early in the morning, making it hard to sleep.
Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound that occurs when you breathe.
Chest tightness. This may feel like something is squeezing or sitting on your chest.
Shortness of breath. Some people who have asthma say they can't catch their breath or they feel out of breath. You may feel like you can't get air out of your lungs.
Not all people who have asthma have these symptoms. Likewise, having these symptoms doesn't always mean that you have asthma. The best way to diagnose asthma for certain is to use a lung function test, a medical history (including type and frequency of symptoms), and a physical exam.
The types of asthma symptoms you have, how often they occur, and how severe they are may vary over time. Sometimes your symptoms may just annoy you. Other times, they may be troublesome enough to limit your daily routine.
Severe symptoms can be fatal. It's important to treat symptoms when you first notice them so they don't become severe.
With proper treatment, most people who have asthma can expect to have few, if any, symptoms either during the day or at night.
What Causes Asthma Symptoms To Occur?
Many things can trigger or worsen asthma symptoms. Your doctor will help you find out which things (sometimes called triggers) may cause your asthma to flare up if you come in contact with them. Triggers may include:
Allergens from dust, animal fur, cockroaches, mold, and pollens from trees, grasses, and flowers
Irritants such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals or dust in the workplace, compounds in home dcor products, and sprays (such as hairspray)
Medicines such as aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and nonselective beta-blockers
Sulfites in foods and drinks
Viral upper respiratory infections, such as colds
Physical activity, including exercise
Other health conditions can make asthma harder to manage. Examples of these conditions include a runny nose, sinus infections, reflux disease, psychological stress, and sleep apnea. These conditions need treatment as part of an overall asthma care plan.
Asthma is different for each person. Some of the triggers listed above may not affect you. Other triggers that do affect you may not be on the list. Talk with your doctor about the things that seem to make your asthma worse.
Question: How to prevent Asthma ?
Answer: You cant prevent asthma. However, you can take steps to control the disease and prevent its symptoms. For example:
Learn about your asthma and ways to control it.
Follow your written asthma action plan. (For a sample plan, go to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "Asthma Action Plan.")
Use medicines as your doctor prescribes.
Identify and try to avoid things that make your asthma worse (asthma triggers). However, one trigger you should not avoid is physical activity. Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Talk with your doctor about medicines that can help you stay active.
Keep track of your asthma symptoms and level of control.
Get regular checkups for your asthma.
For more details about how to prevent asthma symptoms and attacks, go to "How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?"
Question: What is (are) Patent Ductus Arteriosus ?
Answer: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart problem that occurs soon after birth in some babies. In PDA, abnormal blood flow occurs between two of the major arteries connected to the heart.
Before birth, the two major arteriesthe aorta and the pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) arteryare connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus. This vessel is an essential part of fetal blood circulation.
Within minutes or up to a few days after birth, the vessel is supposed to close as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby's circulation.
In some babies, however, the ductus arteriosus remains open (patent). This opening allows oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to mix with oxygen-poor blood from the pulmonary artery. This can put strain on the heart and increase blood pressure in the lung arteries.
Normal Heart and Heart With Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Go to the "How the Heart Works" section of this article for more details about how a normal heart works compared with a heart that has PDA.
Overview
PDA is a type of congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart defect. A congenital heart defect is any type of heart problem that's present at birth.
If your baby has a PDA but an otherwise normal heart, the PDA may shrink and go away. However, some children need treatment to close their PDAs.
Some children who have PDAs are given medicine to keep the ductus arteriosus open. For example, this may be done if a child is born with another heart defect that decreases blood flow to the lungs or the rest of the body.
Keeping the PDA open helps maintain blood flow and oxygen levels until doctors can do surgery to correct the other heart defect.
Outlook
PDA is a fairly common congenital heart defect in the United States. Although the condition can affect full-term infants, it's more common in premature infants.
On average, PDA occurs in about 8 out of every 1,000 premature babies, compared with 2out of every 1,000 full-term babies. Premature babies also are more vulnerable to the effects of PDA.
PDA is twice as common in girls as it is in boys.
Doctors treat the condition with medicines, catheter-based procedures, and surgery. Most children who have PDAs live healthy, normal lives after treatment.
Question: What causes Patent Ductus Arteriosus ?
Answer: If your child has patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), you may think you did something wrong during your pregnancy to cause the problem. However, the cause of patent ductus arteriosus isn't known.
Genetics may play a role in causing the condition. A defect in one or more genes might prevent the ductus arteriosus from closing after birth.