shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: What are the treatments for Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis ?
Answer: The best way to treat hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is to avoid the antigen that caused it. (An antigen is a substance that your body reacts against, such as molds, dusts, and chemicals.)
In acute (short-term) HP, symptoms usually go away once you're no longer in contact with the antigen. In chronic (ongoing) HP, you may need medicines to relieve your symptoms.
People who have chronic HP may develop pulmonary fibrosis. This is a condition in which tissue deep in your lungs becomes scarred over time. People who have this condition may need further treatment, such as oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation (rehab).
Avoiding Antigens
Once the antigen that caused the HP and its source are found, you can take steps to avoid it. If HP is caught early, avoiding the antigen may be the only treatment you need.
Avoiding an antigen may be easier at home than at work. For example, if your pet bird, moldy carpet, or hot tub is the source of the antigen, you can remove it from your home. If your heating system is the source of the antigen, you can have your system properly serviced.
However, if the antigen is at work, you may need to talk with your supervisor about your condition and ways to protect yourself. For example, masks or personal respirators may help protect you from antigens in the air. (A personal respirator is a device that helps filter the air you breathe in.)
Some people who have HP may need to move to a different home or change jobs to avoid antigens. After hurricanes, for example, some people have to move from their homes to avoid molds that could harm their lungs. However, moving and changing jobs sometimes isn't possible.
Medicines and Other Treatments
If you have chronic HP, your doctor may prescribe medicines called corticosteroids. These medicines reduce lung inflammation. Prednisone is an example of a corticosteroid.
Long-term use of prednisone, especially at high doses, can cause serious side effects. Thus, if your doctor prescribes this medicine, he or she may reduce the dose over time.
Examples of side effects from corticosteroids are increased risk of infections, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and osteoporosis (thinning of the skin and bones).
People who develop pulmonary fibrosis may need medicines, oxygen therapy, and/or pulmonary rehab. Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which tissue deep in your lungs becomes scarred over time.
If you smoke, try to quit. Smoking can make HP symptoms worse and lead to other lung diseases. Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke.
Question: What is (are) Metabolic Syndrome ?
Answer: Metabolicsyndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.
The term "metabolic" refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body's normal functioning. Risk factors are traits, conditions, or habits that increase your chance of developing a disease.
In this article, "heart disease" refers to coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary (heart) arteries.
Plaque hardens and narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain, a heart attack, heart damage, or even death.
Metabolic Risk Factors
The five conditions described below are metabolic risk factors. You can have any one of these risk factors by itself, but they tend to occur together. You must have at least three metabolic risk factors to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
A large waistline. This also is called abdominal obesity or "having an apple shape." Excess fat in the stomach area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than excess fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips.
A high triglyceride level (or you're on medicine to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood.
A low HDL cholesterol level (or you're on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol). HDL sometimes is called "good" cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries. A low HDL cholesterol level raises your risk for heart disease.
High blood pressure (or you're on medicine to treat high blood pressure). Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup.
High fasting blood sugar (or you're on medicine to treat high blood sugar). Mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.
Overview
Your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke increases with the number of metabolic risk factors you have. The risk of having metabolic syndrome is closely linked to overweight and obesity and a lack of physical activity.
Insulin resistance also may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body cant use its insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar into cells where its used for energy. Insulin resistance can lead to high blood sugar levels, and its closely linked to overweight and obesity.Genetics (ethnicity and family history) and older age are other factors that may play a role in causing metabolic syndrome.
Outlook
Metabolic syndrome is becoming more common due to a rise in obesity rates among adults. In the future, metabolic syndrome may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease.
It is possible to prevent or delay metabolic syndrome, mainly with lifestyle changes. A healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment. Successfully controlling metabolic syndrome requires long-term effort and teamwork with your health care providers.
Question: What causes Metabolic Syndrome ?
Answer: Metabolic syndrome has several causes that act together. You can control some of the causes, such as overweight and obesity, an inactive lifestyle, and insulin resistance.
You can't control other factors that may play a role in causing metabolic syndrome, such as growing older. Your risk for metabolic syndrome increases with age.
You also can't control genetics (ethnicity and family history), which may play a role in causing the condition. For example, genetics can increase your risk for insulin resistance, which can lead to metabolic syndrome.
People who have metabolic syndrome often have two other conditions: excessive blood clotting and constant, low-grade inflammation throughout the body. Researchers don't know whether these conditions cause metabolic syndrome or worsen it.
Researchers continue to study conditions that may play a role in metabolic syndrome, such as:
A fatty liver (excess triglycerides and other fats in the liver)
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (a tendency to develop cysts on the ovaries)
Gallstones
Breathing problems during sleep (such as sleep apnea)
Question: Who is at risk for Metabolic Syndrome? ?
Answer: People at greatest risk for metabolic syndrome have these underlying causes:
Abdominal obesity (a large waistline)
An inactive lifestyle
Insulin resistance
Some people are at risk for metabolic syndrome because they take medicines that cause weight gain or changes in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. These medicines most often are used to treat inflammation, allergies, HIV, and depression and other types of mental illness.
Populations Affected
Some racial and ethnic groups in the United States are at higher risk for metabolic syndrome than others. Mexican Americans have the highest rate of metabolic syndrome, followed by whites and blacks.
Other groups at increased risk for metabolic syndrome include:
People who have a personal history of diabetes
People who have a sibling or parent who hasdiabetes
Women when compared with men
Women who have a personal history of polycystic ovarian syndrome (a tendency to develop cysts on the ovaries)
Heart Disease Risk
Metabolic syndrome increases your risk for coronary heart disease. Other risk factors, besides metabolic syndrome, also increase your risk for heart disease. For example, a high LDL (bad) cholesterol level and smoking are major risk factors for heart disease. For details about all of the risk factors for heart disease, go to the Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors HealthTopic.
Even if you dont have metabolic syndrome, you should find out your short-term risk for heart disease. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) divides short-term heart disease risk into four categories. Your risk category depends on which risk factors you have and how many you have.
Your risk factors are used to calculate your 10-year risk of developing heart disease. The NCEP has an online calculator that you can use to estimate your 10-year risk of having a heart attack.
High risk: Youre in this category if you already have heart disease or diabetes, or if your 10-year risk score is more than 20 percent.
Moderately high risk: Youre in this category if you have two or more risk factors and your 10-year risk score is 10 percent to 20 percent.
Moderate risk: Youre in this category if you have two or more risk factors and your 10-year risk score is less than 10 percent.
Lower risk: Youre in this category if you have zero or one risk factor.
Even if your 10-year risk score isnt high, metabolic syndrome will increase your risk for coronary heart disease over time.
Question: What are the symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome ?
Answer: Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. These risk factors can increase your risk for health problems even if they're only moderately raised (borderline-high risk factors).
Most of the metabolic risk factors have no signs or symptoms, although a large waistline is a visible sign.
Some people may have symptoms of high blood sugar if diabetesespecially type 2 diabetesis present. Symptoms of high blood sugar often include increased thirst; increased urination, especially at night; fatigue (tiredness); and blurred vision.
High blood pressure usually has no signs or symptoms. However, some people in the early stages of high blood pressure may have dull headaches, dizzy spells, or more nosebleeds than usual.
Question: How to diagnose Metabolic Syndrome ?
Answer: Your doctor will diagnose metabolic syndrome based on the results of a physical exam and blood tests. You must have at least three of the five metabolic risk factors to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic Risk Factors
A Large Waistline
Having a large waistline means that you carry excess weight around your waist (abdominal obesity). This is also called having an "apple-shaped" figure. Your doctor will measure your waist to find out whether you have a large waistline.
A waist measurement of 35 inches or more for women or 40 inches or more for men is a metabolic risk factor. A large waistline means you're at increased risk for heart disease and other health problems.
A High Triglyceride Level
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher (or being on medicine to treat high triglycerides) is a metabolic risk factor. (The mg/dL is milligrams per deciliterthe units used to measure triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood sugar.)
A Low HDL Cholesterol Level
HDL cholesterol sometimes is called "good" cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries.
An HDL cholesterol level of less than 50 mg/dL for women and less than 40 mg/dL for men (or being on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol) is a metabolic risk factor.
High Blood Pressure
A blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or higher (or being on medicine to treat high blood pressure) is a metabolic risk factor. (The mmHg is millimeters of mercurythe units used to measure blood pressure.)
If only one of your two blood pressure numbers is high, you're still at risk for metabolic syndrome.
High Fasting Blood Sugar
A normal fasting blood sugar level is less than 100 mg/dL. A fasting blood sugar level between 100125 mg/dL is considered prediabetes. A fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or higher is considered diabetes.
A fasting blood sugar level of 100 mg/dL or higher (or being on medicine to treat high blood sugar) is a metabolic risk factor.
About 85 percent of people who have type 2 diabetesthe most common type of diabetesalso have metabolic syndrome. These people have a much higher risk for heart disease than the 15 percent of people who have type 2 diabetes without metabolic syndrome.
Question: How to prevent Metabolic Syndrome ?
Answer: Making heart-healthy lifestyle choices is the best way to prevent metabolic syndrome by:
Being physically active
Following a heart-healthy eating plan
Knowing your weight, waist measurement, and body mass index
Maintaining a healthy weight
Make sure to schedule routine doctor visits to keep track of your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. Speak with your doctor about a blood test called a lipoprotein panel, which shows your levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Question: How to prevent Heart Attack ?
Answer: Lowering your risk factors for coronary heart disease can help you prevent a heart attack. Even if you already have coronary heart disease, you still can take steps to lower your risk for a heart attack. These steps involve following a heart-healthy lifestyle and getting ongoingmedical care.
Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
A heart-healthy lifestyle can help prevent a heart attack and includes heart-healthy eating, being physically active, quitting smoking, managing stress, and managing your weight.
Ongoing Care
Treat Related Conditions
Treating conditions that make a heart attack more likely also can help lower your risk for a heart attack. These conditions may include:
Diabetes (high blood sugar). If you have diabetes, try to control your blood sugar level through diet and physical activity (as your doctor recommends). If needed, take medicine as prescribed.
High blood cholesterol. Your doctor may prescribe a statin medicine to lower your cholesterol if diet and exercise arent enough.
High blood pressure. Your doctor may prescribe medicine to keep your blood pressure under control.
Have an Emergency Action Plan
Make sure that you have an emergency action plan in case you or someone in your family has a heart attack. This is very important if youre at high risk for, or have already had, a heart attack.
Write down a list of medicines you are taking, medicines you are allergic to, your health care providers phone numbers (both during and after office hours), and contact information for a friend or relative. Keep the list in a handy place (for example, fill out this wallet card) to share in a medical emergency.
Talk with your doctor about the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, when you should call 911, and steps you can take while waiting for medical help to arrive.
Question: What is (are) Pericarditis ?
Answer: Pericarditis (PER-i-kar-DI-tis) is a condition in which the membrane, or sac, around your heart is inflamed. This sac is called the pericardium (per-i-KAR-de-um).
The pericardium holds the heart in place and helps it work properly. The sac is made of two thin layers of tissue that enclose your heart. Between the two layers is a small amount of fluid. This fluid keeps the layers from rubbing against each other and causing friction.
Pericardium
In pericarditis, the layers of tissue become inflamed and can rub against the heart. This causes chest pain, a common symptom of pericarditis.
The chest pain from pericarditis may feel like pain from a heart attack. More often, the pain may be sharp and get worse when you inhale, and improve when you are sitting up and leaning forward. If you have chest pain, you should call 911 right away, as you may be having a heart attack.
Overview
In many cases, the cause of pericarditis is unknown. Viral infections are likely a common cause of pericarditis, although the virus may never be found. Bacterial, fungal, and other infections also can cause pericarditis.
Other possible causes include heart attack or heart surgery, other medical conditions, injuries, and certain medicines.
Pericarditis can be acute or chronic. "Acute" means that it occurs suddenly and usually doesn't last long. "Chronic" means that it develops over time and may take longer to treat.
Both acute and chronic pericarditis can disrupt your heart's normal rhythm or function and possibly (although rarely) lead to death. However, most cases of pericarditis are mild; they clear up on their own or with rest and simple treatment.
Other times, more intense treatments are needed to prevent complications. Treatments may include medicines and, less often, procedures or surgery.
Outlook
It may take from a few days to weeks or even months to recover from pericarditis. With proper and prompt treatment, such as rest and ongoing care, most people fully recover from pericarditis. Proper treatment also can help reduce the chance of getting the condition again.
Question: What causes Pericarditis ?
Answer: In many cases, the cause of pericarditis (both acute and chronic) is unknown.
Viral infections are likely a common cause of pericarditis, although the virus may never be found. Pericarditis often occurs after a respiratory infection. Bacterial, fungal, and other infections also can cause pericarditis.
Most cases of chronic, or recurring, pericarditis are thought to be the result of autoimmune disorders. Examples of such disorders include lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis.
With autoimmune disorders, the body's immune system makes antibodies (proteins) that mistakenly attack the body's tissues or cells.
Other possible causes of pericarditis are:
Heart attack and heart surgery
Kidney failure, HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and other health problems
Injuries from accidents or radiation therapy
Certain medicines, like phenytoin (an antiseizure medicine), warfarin and heparin (blood-thinning medicines), and procainamide (a medicine to treat irregular heartbeats)
Question: Who is at risk for Pericarditis? ?
Answer: Pericarditis occurs in people of all ages. However, men aged 20 to 50 are more likely to develop it than others.
People who are treated for acute pericarditis may get it again. This may happen in 15 to 30 percent of people who have the condition. A small number of these people go on to develop chronic pericarditis.
Question: What are the symptoms of Pericarditis ?
Answer: The most common sign of acute pericarditis is sharp, stabbing chest pain. The pain usually comes on quickly. It often is felt in the middle or left side of the chest or over the front of the chest. You also may feel pain in one or both shoulders, the neck, back, and abdomen.
The pain tends to ease when you sit up and lean forward. Lying down and deep breathing worsens it. For some people, the pain feels like a dull ache or pressure in the chest.
The chest pain also may feel like pain from a heart attack. If you have chest pain, you should call 911 right away, as you may be having a heart attack.
Some people with acute pericarditis develop a fever. Other symptoms are weakness, palpitations, trouble breathing, and coughing. (Palpitations are feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast.)
The most common symptom of chronic pericarditis is chest pain. Chronic pericarditis also often causes tiredness, coughing, and shortness of breath. Severe cases of chronic pericarditis can lead to swelling in the stomach and legs and hypotension (low blood pressure).
Complications of Pericarditis
Two serious complications of pericarditis are cardiac tamponade (tam-po-NAD) and chronic constrictive pericarditis.
Cardiac tamponade occurs if too much fluid collects in the pericardium (the sac around the heart). The extra fluid puts pressure on the heart. This prevents the heart from properly filling with blood. As a result, less blood leaves the heart, which causes a sharp drop in blood pressure. If left untreated, cardiac tamponade can be fatal.
Chronic constrictive pericarditis is a rare disease that develops over time. It leads to scar-like tissue forming throughout the pericardium. The sac becomes stiff and can't move properly. In time, the scarred tissue compresses the heart and prevents it from working well.
Question: How to diagnose Pericarditis ?
Answer: Your doctor will diagnose pericarditis based on your medical history, a physical exam, and the results from tests.
Specialists Involved
Primary care doctorssuch as a family doctor, internist, or pediatricianoften diagnose and treat pericarditis. Other types of doctors also may be involved, such as a cardiologist, pediatric cardiologist, and an infectious disease specialist.
A cardiologist treats adults who have heart problems. A pediatric cardiologist treats children who have heart problems. An infectious disease specialist treats people who have infections.
Medical History
Your doctor may ask whether you:
Have had a recent respiratory infection or flu-like illness
Have had a recent heart attack or injury to your chest
Have any other medical conditions
Your doctor also may ask about your symptoms. If you have chest pain, he or she will ask you to describe how it feels, where it's located, and whether it's worse when you lie down, breathe, or cough.
Physical Exam
When the pericardium (the sac around your heart) is inflamed, the amount of fluid between its two layers of tissue increases. As part of the exam, your doctor will look for signs of excess fluid in your chest.
A common sign is the pericardial rub. This is the sound of the pericardium rubbing against the outer layer of your heart. Your doctor will place a stethoscope on your chest to listen for this sound.
Your doctor may hear other chest sounds that are signs of fluid in the pericardium (pericardial effusion) or the lungs (pleural effusion). These are more severe problems related to pericarditis.
Diagnostic Tests
Your doctor may recommend one or more tests to diagnose your condition and show how severe it is. The most common tests are:
EKG (electrocardiogram). This simple test detects and records your heart's electrical activity. Certain EKG results suggest pericarditis.
Chest x ray. A chest x ray creates pictures of the structures inside your chest, such as your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. The pictures can show whether you have an enlarged heart. This is a sign of excess fluid in your pericardium.
Echocardiography. This painless test uses sound waves to create pictures of your heart. The pictures show the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart is working. This test can show whether fluid has built up in the pericardium.
Cardiac CT (computed tomography (to-MOG-rah-fee)). This is a type of x ray that takes a clear, detailed picture of your heart and pericardium. A cardiac CT helps rule out other causes of chest pain.
Cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). This test uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures of your organs and tissues. A cardiac MRI can show changes in the pericardium.
Your doctor also may recommend blood tests. These tests can help your doctor find out whether you've had a heart attack, the cause of your pericarditis, and how inflamed your pericardium is.