shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: What are the treatments for Alagille Syndrome ?
Answer: Treatment for Alagille syndrome includes medications and therapies that increase the flow of bile from the liver, promote growth and development in infants' and children's bodies, correct nutritional deficiencies, and reduce the person's discomfort. Ursodiol (Actigall, Urso) is a medication that increases bile flow. Other treatments address specific symptoms of the disorder.
Liver failure. People with Alagille syndrome who develop end-stage liver failure need a liver transplant with a whole liver from a deceased donor or a segment of a liver from a living donor. People with Alagille syndrome who also have heart problems may not be candidates for a transplant because they could be more likely to have complications during and after the procedure. A liver transplant surgical team performs the transplant in a hospital.
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Liver Transplantation.
Pruritus. Itching may decrease when the flow of bile from the liver is increased. Medications such as cholestyramine (Prevalite), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), naltrexone (Vivitrol), or antihistamines may be prescribed to relieve pruritus. People should hydrate their skin with moisturizers and keep their fingernails trimmed to prevent skin damage from scratching. People with Alagille syndrome should avoid baths and take short showers to prevent the skin from drying out.
If severe pruritus does not improve with medication, a procedure called partial external biliary diversion may provide relief from itching. The procedure involves surgery to connect one end of the small intestine to the gallbladder and the other end to an opening in the abdomencalled a stomathrough which bile leaves the body and is collected in a pouch. A surgeon performs partial external biliary diversion in a hospital. The patient will need general anesthesia.
Malabsorption and growth problems. Infants with Alagille syndrome are given a special formula that helps the small intestine absorb much-needed fat. Infants, children, and adults can benefit from a high-calorie diet, calcium, and vitamins A, D, E, and K. They may also need additional zinc. If someone with Alagille syndrome does not tolerate oral doses of vitamins, a health care provider may give the person injections for a period of time. A child may receive additional calories through a tiny tube that is passed through the nose into the stomach. If extra calories are needed for a long time, a health care provider may place a tube, called a gastrostomy tube, directly into the stomach through a small opening made in the abdomen. A child's growth may improve with increased nutrition and flow of bile from the liver.
Xanthomas. For someone who has Alagille syndrome, these fatty deposits typically worsen over the first few years of life and then improve over time. They may eventually disappear in response to partial external biliary diversion or the medications used to increase bile flow.
Question: What to do for Alagille Syndrome ?
Answer: Researchers have not found that eating, diet, and nutrition play a role in causing or preventing Alagille syndrome. However, these factors are important for people with Alagille syndrome, particularly children, who are malnourished, growing poorly, or have delayed puberty. Caregivers and parents of children with Alagille syndrome should try to maximize their children's potential for growth through good eating, diet, and nutrition.
A nutritionist or a dietitiana person with training in nutrition and dietcan work with someone with Alagille syndrome and his or her health care team to build an appropriate healthy eating plan. A person with Alagille syndrome may need to take dietary supplements or vitamins in addition to eating a set number of calories, based on the type of complications the person has. Researchers consider good nutrition to be one of the most important aspects of managing the disorder.
If potential liver problems are present, a person with Alagille syndrome should not drink alcoholic beverages without talking with his or her health care provider first.
Additionally, eating, diet, and nutrition play a part in overall health and preventing further health problems.
Question: What is (are) Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your heart and blood vessels healthy ?
Answer: Too much glucose in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes, the leading causes of death for people with diabetes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems.
This booklet is about heart and blood vessel problems caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems.
Question: How to prevent Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your heart and blood vessels healthy ?
Answer: You can do a lot to prevent heart disease and stroke.
- Keep your blood glucose under control. You can see if your blood glucose is under control by having an A1C test at least twice a year. The A1C test tells you your average blood glucose for the past 2 to 3 months. The target for most people with diabetes is below 7. In some people with heart disease or other special circumstances, their doctor may recommend slightly higher levels of A1C. - Keep your blood pressure under control. Have it checked at every doctor visit. The target for most people with diabetes is below 140/80, unless their doctor sets a different target. - Keep your cholesterol under control. Have it checked at least once a year. The targets for most people with diabetes are - LDLbadcholesterol: below 100 - HDLgoodcholesterol: above 40 in men and above 50 in women - triglyceridesanother type of fat in the blood: below 150 - Make sure the foods you eat are "heart-healthy." Include foods high in fiber, such as oat bran, oatmeal, whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat or cholesterol, such as meats, butter, dairy products with fat, eggs, shortening, lard, and foods with palm oil or coconut oil. Limit foods with trans fat, such as snack foods and commercial baked goods. - If you smoke, quit. Your doctor can tell you about ways to help you quit smoking. - Ask your doctor whether you should take an aspirin every day. Studies have shown that taking a low dose of aspirin every day can help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. - Take your medicines as directed.
Question: What are the symptoms of Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your heart and blood vessels healthy ?
Answer: You may have one or more of the following warning signs:
- chest pain or discomfort - pain or discomfort in your arms, back, jaw, or neck - indigestion or stomach pain - shortness of breath - sweating - nausea - light-headedness
Or, you may have no warning signs at all. Warning signs may come and go. If you have any of these warning signs, call 911 right away. Getting prompt treatment can reduce damage to the heart.
Question: What causes Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your heart and blood vessels healthy ?
Answer: Narrowed blood vessels leave a smaller opening for blood to flow through. Having narrowed blood vessels is like turning on a garden hose and holding your thumb over the opening. The smaller opening makes the water shoot out with more pressure. In the same way, narrowed blood vessels lead to high blood pressure. Other factors, such as kidney problems and being overweight, also can lead to high blood pressure.
Many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure. If you have heart, eye, or kidney problems from diabetes, high blood pressure can make them worse.
You will see your blood pressure written with two numbers separated by a slash. For example, your reading might be 120/70, said as "120 over 70." For most people with diabetes, the target is to keep the first number below 140 and the second number below 80, unless their doctor sets a different target.
If you have high blood pressure, ask your doctor how to lower it. Your doctor may ask you to take blood pressure medicine every day. Some types of blood pressure medicine can also help keep your kidneys healthy.
You may also be able to control your blood pressure by
- eating more fruits and vegetables - eating less salt and high-sodium foods - losing weight if you need to - being physically active - not smoking - limiting alcoholic drinks
Question: What is (are) Primary Hyperparathyroidism ?
Answer: Primary hyperparathyroidism is a disorder of the parathyroid glands, also called parathyroids. Primary means this disorder originates in the parathyroid glands. In primary hyperparathyroidism, one or more of the parathyroid glands are overactive. As a result, the gland releases too much parathyroid hormone (PTH). The disorder includes the problems that occur in the rest of the body as a result of too much PTHfor example, loss of calcium from bones.
In the United States, about 100,000 people develop primary hyperparathyroidism each year.1 The disorder is diagnosed most often in people between age 50 and 60, and women are affected about three times as often as men.2
Secondary, or reactive, hyperparathyroidism can occur if a problem such as kidney failure causes the parathyroid glands to be overactive.
Question: What causes Primary Hyperparathyroidism ?
Answer: In about 80 percent of people with primary hyperparathyroidism, a benign, or noncancerous, tumor called an adenoma has formed in one of the parathyroid glands.2 The tumor causes the gland to become overactive. In most other cases, the excess hormone comes from two or more overactive parathyroid glands, a condition called multiple tumors or hyperplasia. Rarely, primary hyperparathyroidism is caused by cancer of a parathyroid gland.
In most cases, health care providers dont know why adenoma or multiple tumors occur in the parathyroid glands. Most people with primary hyperparathyroidism have no family history of the disorder, but some cases can be linked to an inherited problem. For example, familial multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 is a rare, inherited syndrome that causes multiple tumors in the parathyroid glands as well as in the pancreas and the pituitary gland. Another rare genetic disorder, familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia, causes a kind of hyperparathyroidism that is atypical, in part because it does not respond to standard parathyroid surgery.
Question: What are the symptoms of Primary Hyperparathyroidism ?
Answer: Most people with primary hyperparathyroidism have no symptoms. When symptoms appear, they are often mild and nonspecific, such as
- muscle weakness - fatigue and an increased need for sleep - feelings of depression - aches and pains in bones and joints
People with more severe disease may have
- loss of appetite - nausea - vomiting - constipation - confusion or impaired thinking and memory - increased thirst and urination
These symptoms are mainly due to the high blood calcium levels that result from excessive PTH.
Question: How to diagnose Primary Hyperparathyroidism ?
Answer: Health care providers diagnose primary hyperparathyroidism when a person has high blood calcium and PTH levels. High blood calcium is usually the first sign that leads health care providers to suspect parathyroid gland overactivity. Other diseases can cause high blood calcium levels, but only in primary hyperparathyroidism is the elevated calcium the result of too much PTH.
Routine blood tests that screen for a wide range of conditions, including high blood calcium levels, are helping health care providers diagnose primary hyperparathyroidism in people who have mild forms of the disorder and are symptom-free. For a blood test, blood is drawn at a health care providers office or commercial facility and sent to a lab for analysis.
Question: What to do for Primary Hyperparathyroidism ?
Answer: Eating, diet, and nutrition have not been shown to play a role in causing or preventing primary hyperparathyroidism.
Vitamin D. Experts suggest correcting vitamin D deficiency in people with primary hyperparathyroidism to achieve a serum level of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D greater than 20 nanograms per deciliter (50 nanomoles per liter). Research is ongoing to determine optimal doses and regimens of vitamin D supplementation for people with primary hyperparathyroidism.
For the healthy public, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for vitamin D intake are
- people ages 1 to 70 years may require 600 International Units (IUs) - people age 71 and older may require as much as 800 IUs
The IOM also recommends that no more than 4,000 IUs of vitamin D be taken per day.
Calcium. People with primary hyperparathyroidism without symptoms who are being monitored do not need to restrict calcium in their diet. People with low calcium levels due to loss of all parathyroid tissue from surgery will need to take calcium supplements for the rest of their life.
To help ensure coordinated and safe care, people should discuss their use of complementary and alternative medicine practices, including their use of dietary supplements, with their health care provider. Tips for talking with health care providers are available through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Question: What is (are) Urinary Incontinence in Men ?
Answer: Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control, resulting in the accidental leakage of urine from the body. For example, a man may feel a strong, sudden need, or urgency, to urinate just before losing a large amount of urine, called urgency incontinence.
UI can be slightly bothersome or totally debilitating. For some men, the chance of embarrassment keeps them from enjoying many activities, including exercising, and causes emotional distress. When people are inactive, they increase their chances of developing other health problems, such as obesity and diabetes.
Question: What causes Urinary Incontinence in Men ?
Answer: Urinary incontinence in men results when the brain does not properly signal the bladder, the sphincters do not squeeze strongly enough, or both. The bladder muscle may contract too much or not enough because of a problem with the muscle itself or the nerves controlling the bladder muscle. Damage to the sphincter muscles themselves or the nerves controlling these muscles can result in poor sphincter function. These problems can range from simple to complex.
A man may have factors that increase his chances of developing UI, including
- birth defectsproblems with development of the urinary tract - a history of prostate cancersurgery or radiation treatment for prostate cancer can lead to temporary or permanent UI in men
UI is not a disease. Instead, it can be a symptom of certain conditions or the result of particular events during a mans life. Conditions or events that may increase a mans chance of developing UI include
- benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)a condition in which the prostate is enlarged yet not cancerous. In men with BPH, the enlarged prostate presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and incomplete emptying of the bladder can lead to UI. - chronic coughinglong-lasting coughing increases pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor muscles. - neurological problemsmen with diseases or conditions that affect the brain and spine may have trouble controlling urination. - physical inactivitydecreased activity can increase a mans weight and contribute to muscle weakness. - obesityextra weight can put pressure on the bladder, causing a need to urinate before the bladder is full. - older agebladder muscles can weaken over time, leading to a decrease in the bladders capacity to store urine.
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topics, Nerve Disease and Bladder Control and Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
Question: What is (are) Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease ?
Answer: Thyroid disease is a disorder that affects the thyroid gland. Sometimes the body produces too much or too little thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones regulate metabolismthe way the body uses energyand affect nearly every organ in the body. Too much thyroid hormone is called hyperthyroidism and can cause many of the bodys functions to speed up. Too little thyroid hormone is called hypothyroidism and can cause many of the bodys functions to slow down.
Thyroid hormone plays a critical role during pregnancy both in the development of a healthy baby and in maintaining the health of the mother.
Women with thyroid problems can have a healthy pregnancy and protect their fetuses health by learning about pregnancys effect on the thyroid, keeping current on their thyroid function testing, and taking the required medications.
Question: What to do for Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease ?
Answer: During pregnancy, the body requires higher amounts of some nutrients to support the health of the mother and growing baby. Experts recommend pregnant women maintain a balanced diet and take a prenatal multivitamin and mineral supplement containing iodine to receive most nutrients necessary for thyroid health. More information about diet and nutrition during pregnancy is provided by the National Agricultural Library available at www.choosemyplate.gov/nutritional-needs-during-pregnancy.
Dietary Supplements
Because the thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormone, iodine is an important mineral for a mother during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the baby gets iodine from the mothers diet. Women need more iodine when they are pregnantabout 250 micrograms a day. In the United States, about 7 percent of pregnant women may not get enough iodine in their diet or through prenatal vitamins.3 Choosing iodized saltsalt supplemented with iodineover plain salt and prenatal vitamins containing iodine will ensure this need is met.
However, people with autoimmune thyroid disease may be sensitive to harmful side effects from iodine. Taking iodine drops or eating foods containing large amounts of iodinesuch as seaweed, dulse, or kelpmay cause or worsen hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. More information about iodine is provided by the National Library of Medicine in the fact sheet, Iodine in diet.
To help ensure coordinated and safe care, people should discuss their use of dietary supplements with their health care provider. Tips for talking with health care providers are available at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health's Time to Talk campaign.
Question: What causes Henoch-Schnlein Purpura ?
Answer: Henoch-Schnlein purpura is caused by an abnormal immune system response in which the bodys immune system attacks the bodys own cells and organs. Usually, the immune system makes antibodies, or proteins, to protect the body from foreign substances such as bacteria or viruses. In HSP, these antibodies attack the blood vessels. The factors that cause this immune system response are not known. However, in 30 to 50 percent of cases, people have an upper respiratory tract infection, such as a cold, before getting HSP.2 HSP has also been associated with
- infectious agents such as chickenpox, measles, hepatitis, and HIV viruses - medications - foods - insect bites - exposure to cold weather - trauma
Genetics may increase the risk of HSP, as it has occurred in different members of the same family, including in twins.
Question: What are the symptoms of Henoch-Schnlein Purpura ?
Answer: The symptoms of HSP include the following:
- Rash. Leaking blood vessels in the skin cause a rash that looks like bruises or small red dots on the legs, arms, and buttocks. The rash may first look like hives and then change to look like bruises, and it may spread to the chest, back, and face. The rash does not disappear or turn pale when pressed. - Digestive tract problems. HSP can cause vomiting and abdominal pain, which can range from mild to severe. Blood may also appear in the stool, though severe bleeding is rare. - Arthritis. Pain and swelling can occur in the joints, usually in the knees and ankles and less frequently in the elbows and wrists. - Kidney involvement. Hematuria blood in the urineis a common sign that HSP has affected the kidneys. Proteinurialarge amounts of protein in the urineor development of high blood pressure suggests more severe kidney problems. - Other symptoms. In some cases, boys with HSP develop swelling of the testicles. Symptoms affecting the central nervous system, such as seizures, and lungs, such as pneumonia, have been seen in rare cases.
Though the rash affects all people with HSP, pain in the joints or abdomen precedes the rash in about one-third of cases by as many as 14 days.1
Question: What are the complications of Henoch-Schnlein Purpura ?
Answer: In children, the risk of kidney damage leading to long-term problems may be as high as 15 percent, but kidney failure affects only about 1 percent of children with HSP.1 Up to 40 percent of adults with HSP will have CKD or kidney failure within 15 years after diagnosis.3
A rare complication of HSP is intussusception of the bowel, which includes the small and large intestines. With this condition, a section of the bowel folds into itself like a telescope, causing the bowel to become blocked.
Women with a history of HSP who become pregnant are at higher risk for high blood pressure and proteinuria during pregnancy.
Question: How to diagnose Henoch-Schnlein Purpura ?
Answer: A diagnosis of HSP is suspected when a person has the characteristic rash and one of the following:
- abdominal pain - joint pain - antibody deposits on the skin - hematuria or proteinuria
Antibody deposits on the skin can confirm the diagnosis of HSP. These deposits can be detected using a skin biopsy, a procedure that involves taking a piece of skin tissue for examination with a microscope. A skin biopsy is performed by a health care provider in a hospital with little or no sedation and local anesthetic. The skin tissue is examined in a lab by a pathologista doctor who specializes in diagnosing diseases.
A kidney biopsy may also be needed. A kidney biopsy is performed by a health care provider in a hospital with light sedation and local anesthetic. The health care provider uses imaging techniques such as ultrasound or a computerized tomography scan to guide the biopsy needle into the organ. The kidney tissue is examined in a lab by a pathologist. The test can confirm diagnosis and be used to determine the extent of kidney involvement, which will help guide treatment decisions.
Hematuria and proteinuria are detected using urinalysis, which is testing of a urine sample. The urine sample is collected in a special container in a health care providers office or commercial facility and can be tested in the same location or sent to a lab for analysis. For the test, a nurse or technician places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine sample. Patches on the dipstick change color when blood or protein are present in urine.