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What to do for Diabetic Retinopathy ?
If you have diabetes, get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Proliferative retinopathy can develop without symptoms. If it gets to this advanced stage, you are at high risk for vision loss or even blindness. Macular edema can develop without symptoms at any of the four stages of diabetic retinopathy...
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What is (are) Diabetic Retinopathy ?
National Eye Institute National Institutes of Health 2020 Vision Place Bethesda, MD 20892-3655 301-496-5248 E-mail: 2020@nei.nih.gov www.nei.nih.gov Find eye health organizations that address diabetic eye disease.
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What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is a chemical found in beverages like beer, wine, and distilled spirits such as whiskey, vodka, and rum. Through a process called fermentation, yeast converts the sugars naturally found in grains and grapes into the alcohol that is in beer and wine. Another process, called distillation, ...
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What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measures the percentage of ethanolthe chemical name for alcohol in alcoholic beveragesin a persons blood. As you drink, you increase your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level. The higher the BAC, the more impaired a person is. In all states, it is against the law for people to drive...
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What are the symptoms of Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Its not always obvious that someone drinks too much. For older adults, clues to a possible alcohol problem include memory loss, depression, anxiety, poor appetite, unexplained bruises, falls, sleeping problems, and inattention to cleanliness or appearance. Answering "yes" to at least one of the following questions is a...
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What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
If a person drinks too much or too often he or she may develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD). An AUD can range in severity from mild to severe. On one end of this spectrum, drinking might cause sickness, depression, or sleeping problems. More severe symptoms include drinking more than intended or craving alcohol once y...
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What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
There is not one right treatment for everyone with alcohol problems. In general, many people need more than one kind of treatment. Medicines can help people with alcohol use disorder quit drinking. Meeting with a therapist or substance-abuse counselor or with a support group may also help. Support from family and frien...
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What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Prescription medicines can help people with alcohol use disorder reduce their drinking, avoid going back to heavy drinking, and get sober. None of them works in every person. There are three medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. - Naltrexone (Depade, Re...
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What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Talking about alcohol use with a professional is beneficial to many people. Counseling either one-on-one or in groups can help develop skills to stop or reduce drinking, develop reachable goals, manage the triggers that lead to alcohol misuse and build a strong social support system that supports healthy habits. Ther...
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Where to find support for people with Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Many people with alcohol problems find it helpful to talk with others who have faced similar problems. Mutual help groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-step programs, help people recover from alcohol use disorder. AA meetings are open to anyone who wants to stop drinking. Attending mutual-help groups is benefic...
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What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Some people with an alcohol use disorder are treated in a facility, such as a hospital, mental health center, or substance abuse clinic. Treatment may last as long as several weeks. This type of treatment typically involves detoxification (when a person is weaned from alcohol), medicine, and counseling. Learn more abo...
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What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Most people with alcohol problems can be treated successfully. People with an alcohol use disorder and those who misuse alcohol and cannot stay within healthy drinking limits should stop drinking altogether. Others can cut back until their drinking is under control. Changing drinking habits isnt easy. Often it takes mo...
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What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Older people with alcohol problems respond to treatment as well as younger people. Some studies suggest that older adults do better when they are treated with other people the same age instead of mixed in with younger adults. Some communities have treatment programs and support groups specifically for older adults.
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How to diagnose Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Now that your family member or friend has received a diagnosis of Alzheimers disease, its important to learn as much as you can about the disease and how to care for someone who has it. You may also want to know the right way to share the news with family and friends. Learning About Alzheimers Sometimes, you may feel t...
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What to do for Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Most people with Alzheimers disease are cared for at home by family members. Within families, caregiving is provided most often by wives and husbands, followed by daughters. As Alzheimers disease gets worse, the person will need more and more care. Because of this, you will need more help. It's okay to seek help whenev...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Alzheimers disease is an illness of the brain. It causes large numbers of nerve cells in the brain to die. This affects a persons ability to remember things and think clearly. People with Alzheimers become forgetful and easily confused and may have a hard time concentrating. They may have trouble taking care of themsel...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Alzheimers disease has three stages: early (also called mild), middle (moderate), and late (severe). Understanding these stages can help you care for your loved one and plan ahead. A person in the early stage of Alzheimers disease may find it hard to remember things, ask the same questions over and over, lose things, o...
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What are the treatments for Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Currently, no medication can cure Alzheimers disease, but four medicines are approved to treat the symptoms of the disease. - Aricept (donezepil)for all stages of Alzheimers - Exelon (rivastigmine)for mild to moderate Alzheimers - Razadyne (galantamine)--for mild to moderate Alzheimers - Namenda (memantine)for moder...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Here are some ways you can learn more about Alzheimers disease. - Talk with a doctor or other healthcare provider who specializes in Alzheimers disease. - Check out books or videos about Alzheimers from the library. - Go to educational programs about the disease. - Visit the website of the National Institute on Agi...
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How to diagnose Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
When you learn that someone has Alzheimers disease, you may wonder when and how to tell your family and friends. You may be worried about how others will react to or treat the person. Others often sense that something is wrong before they are told. Alzheimers disease is hard to keep secret. When the time seems right, b...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Eating healthy foods helps us stay well. It's even more important for people with Alzheimers disease. When a person with Alzheimer's lives with you -- - Buy healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products. Be sure to buy foods that the person likes and can eat. - Buy food that is easy to prepare...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
To find out about residential care facilities in your area, talk with your support group members, social worker, doctor, family members, and friends. Also, check the following resources. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) 1-8...
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What to do for Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
As Alzheimers disease gets worse, you will need more help to care for the person. It's okay to seek help whenever you need it. Several kinds of help are available. - Home health care agencies send a home health aide or nurse to your home to help you care for a person with Alzheimers. They may come for a few hours or st...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Caregiving ?
Everyone needs help at times. However, many caregivers find it hard to ask for help. They may feel they should be able to do everything themselves, or that it's not all right to leave the person in their care with someone else. Or maybe they cant afford to pay someone to watch the person for an hour or two. Family memb...
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What is (are) Dry Eye ?
Poor Tear Production Dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the tears are of poor quality and dry up quickly. The eyes need tears for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry eye can last a short time or it can be an ongoing condition. It can include a variety of symptoms, such as discomfo...
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What causes Dry Eye ?
Many factors can lead to dry eye, including aging, medications, problems with eyelid function, disease, some types of surgery, environmental factors, and allergies. Many Older People Have Dry Eye Elderly people often have dryness of the eyes, but dry eye can occur at any age. Nearly five million Americans 50 years of a...
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What are the symptoms of Dry Eye ?
Symptoms of Dry Eye Dry eye symptoms may include any of the following. - stinging or burning of the eye - a sandy or gritty feeling as if something is in the eye - episodes of excess tears following very dry eye periods - a stringy discharge from the eye - pain and redness of the eye - episodes of blurred vis...
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What are the treatments for Dry Eye ?
Self Care - Try over-the-counter remedies such as artificial tears, gels, gel inserts, and ointments. They offer temporary relief and can provide an important replacement of naturally produced tears. - Avoid remedies containing preservatives if you need to apply them more than four times a day or preparations with ch...
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What is (are) Dry Eye ?
Dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the tears are of poor quality and dry up quickly. The eyes need tears for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry eye can last a short time or it can be an ongoing condition. It can include a variety of symptoms, such as discomfort and pain. Your eye...
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What is (are) Dry Eye ?
There are two types of dry eye: aqueous tear-deficient dry eye and evaporative dry eye. Aqueous tear-deficient dry eye is a disorder in which the tear glands do not produce enough of the watery component of tears to maintain a healthy eye surface, called the cornea. Evaporative dry eye may result from inflammation of t...
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What causes Dry Eye ?
Most people with dry eye will not have serious problems, but severe dry eye may lead to inflammation, ulcers, or scars on the cornea, and some loss of vision. Permanent loss of vision from dry eye is uncommon.
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What is (are) Dry Eye ?
The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped outer surface that covers the eye in front of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. The cornea helps protect the rest of the eye from germs, dust, and other harmful matter. The cornea is a highly organized, clear structure made up of a group of cells and proteins precisely...
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What causes Dry Eye ?
If your eyes dont make enough tears it can cause dry eye. Anything that changes the components of tears can cause dry eye. Many factors can lead to dry eye, including aging, medications, problems with eyelid function, disease, some types of eye surgery, environmental factors, and allergies.
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What are the symptoms of Dry Eye ?
Dry eye symptoms may include any of the following. - stinging or burning of the eye - a sandy or gritty feeling as if something is in the eye - episodes of excess tears following very dry eye periods - a stringy discharge from the eye - pain and redness of the eye - episodes of blurred vision - heavy eyelids...
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How to diagnose Dry Eye ?
Diagnosis of dry eye requires a comprehensive eye evaluation. Your eye care professional will ask you about your symptoms, your overall health (conditions for which you are treated, medications that you take), your eye history (use of contact lenses, past refractive or other eye surgery), and aspects of your daily envi...
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What are the treatments for Dry Eye ?
Dry eye can be a temporary or ongoing condition, so treatments can be short term or may extend over long periods of time. The goal of treatment is to keep the eyes moist and relieve symptoms. Talk to your doctor to rule out other conditions that can cause dry eye, such as Sjgren's syndrome. You may need to treat these ...
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What is (are) Dry Eye ?
National Eye Institute National Institutes of Health 2020 Vision Place Bethesda, MD 20892-3655 301-496-5248 E-mail: 2020@nei.nih.gov www.nei.nih.gov
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Who is at risk for Creating a Family Health History? ?
Diseases Can Have Various Causes Many things influence your overall health and likelihood of developing a disease. Sometimes, it's not clear what causes a disease. Many diseases are thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. The importance of any particular factor varies fr...
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What is (are) Creating a Family Health History ?
A family health history is a written record of the diseases and health conditions within a family. It provides information about family members' medical histories, lifestyle habits, and early living environments.
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What is (are) Creating a Family Health History ?
A heritable disease is caused by a mutation, or harmful change, in a gene inherited from a parent. Genes are small structures in your body's cells that determine how you look and tell your body how to work. Examples of heritable diseases are Huntington's disease, sickle cell anemia, and muscular dystrophy. Most disease...
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What is (are) Creating a Family Health History ?
Common health problems that can run in a family include - Alzheimer's disease/dementia - arthritis - asthma - blood clots - cancer - depression - diabetes - heart disease - high cholesterol - high blood pressure - pregnancy losses and birth defects - stroke. Alzheimer's disease/dementia arthritis a...
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What causes Creating a Family Health History ?
Yes. Diet, weight, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, occupation, and where you live can each increase or decrease disease risk. For example, smoking increases the chance of developing heart disease and cancer. Sun exposure is the major known environmental factor associated with the development of skin cancer ...
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How to prevent Creating a Family Health History ?
People can't change the genes they inherit from their parents, but they can change other things to prevent diseases that run in the family. This is good news because many diseases result from a combination of a person's genes, lifestyle, and environment. Actions to reduce the risk of disease may involve lifestyle chang...
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What is (are) Creating a Family Health History ?
Here are important questions to ask your blood relatives. - What is your age or date of birth? - Do you have any chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or high blood pressure? - Have you had any other serious illnesses, such as cancer or stroke? (If you know of any specific diseases or illnesses...
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What is (are) Creating a Family Health History ?
Your relatives will probably want to know why you want information about their health. You can explain that knowing what diseases run in the family can help family members take steps to lower their risk. These steps might include certain lifestyle changes, medical tests, or choices of medicines to take. Offer to share ...
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What is (are) Creating a Family Health History ?
Talk to other family members. You can also obtain a death certificate from a state or county vital statistics office to confirm a late relative's cause of death. Funeral homes and online obituaries may also have this information.
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What is (are) Creating a Family Health History ?
In a genetic test, a small sample of blood, saliva, or tissue is taken to examine a person's genes. Sometimes, genetic testing can detect diseases that may be preventable or treatable. This type of testing is available for thousands of conditions.
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How to diagnose Creating a Family Health History ?
Genetic testing may be helpful whether the test identifies a mutation or not. Test results can - serve as a relief, eliminating some of the uncertainty about a health condition - help doctors make recommendations for treatment or monitoring - give people information to use in making decisions about their and their f...
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How to diagnose Creating a Family Health History ?
Finding out your test results can affect you emotionally. Learning that you are someone in your family has or is at risk for a disease can be scary. Some people can also feel guilty, angry, anxious, or depressed when they find out their results. Covering the costs of testing can also be a challenge. Genetic testing can...
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What is (are) Balance Problems ?
Have you ever felt dizzy, lightheaded, or as if the room were spinning around you? These can be very troublesome sensations. If the feeling happens often, it could be a sign of a balance problem. Balance problems are among the most common reasons that older adults seek help from a doctor. In 2008, an estimated 14.8 per...
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How to prevent Balance Problems ?
People are more likely to have problems with balance as they get older. But age is not the only reason these problems occur; there are other causes, too. In some cases, you can help reduce your risk for certain balance problems. Problems in the Inner Ear Some balance disorders are caused by problems in the inner ear. T...
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What are the symptoms of Balance Problems ?
Some people may have a balance problem without realizing it. Others might think they have a problem, but are too embarrassed to tell their doctor, friends, or family. Here are common symtoms experienced by people with a balance disorder. Symptoms If you have a balance disorder, you may stagger when you try to walk, or ...
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What are the treatments for Balance Problems ?
Your doctor can recommend strategies to help reduce the effects of a balance disorder. Scientists are studying ways to develop new, more effective methods to treat and prevent balance disorders. Balance disorders can be signs of other health problems, such as an ear infection, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. In some cas...
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What is (are) Balance Problems ?
A balance disorder is a disturbance of the body systems controlling balance. This disturbance can make people feel dizzy, unsteady, or as if they were spinning. Balance disorders are a common cause of falls and fall-related injuries, such as hip fractures.
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How many people are affected by Balance Problems ?
In 2008, an estimated 14.8 percent of American adults (33.4 million) had a balance or dizziness problem during the past year. See statistics about the frequency of balance and other sensory impairments in older adults. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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What are the symptoms of Balance Problems ?
If you have a balance disorder, you may stagger when you try to walk, or teeter or fall when you try to stand up. You might experience other symptoms such as - dizziness or vertigo (a spinning sensation) - falling or feeling as if you are going to fall - lightheadedness, faintness, or a floating sensation - blur...
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What is (are) Balance Problems ?
There are many types of balance disorders. Three of the most common are BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), labyrinthitis, and Menieres disease. BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) is one of the most common balance disorders among older adults. With BPPV, you experience a brief, intense feeling of vert...
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What causes Balance Problems ?
Some balance disorders are caused by problems in the inner ear. The part of the inner ear that is responsible for balance is the vestibular system, often refered to as the labyrinth. When the labyrinth becomes infected or swollen -- a condition called labyrinthitis -- it is typically accompanied by vertigo and imbalanc...
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What causes Balance Problems ?
Yes. Many prescription medications, such as those used to lower blood pressure, can make a person feel dizzy. Other medicines might damage the inner ear. These medicines, called ototoxic medicines, can make you feel off balance. Sometimes the damage lasts only as long as you take the drug. Other times it is permanent. ...
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How to prevent Balance Problems ?
An ear infection called otitis media can cause balance problems. Otitis media is most common in children, but adults can get it, too. You can help prevent otitis media by washing your hands frequently. Also, talk to your doctor about getting a yearly flu shot to stave off flu-related ear infections. If you do get an ea...
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What is (are) Balance Problems ?
You can help your doctor make a diagnosis by writing down key information about your dizziness or balance problem beforehand and giving the information to your doctor during the visit. Write down answers to these questions for your doctor: - How would you describe your dizziness or balance problem? - If the room is sp...
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What are the treatments for Balance Problems ?
In BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), small calcium particles in the inner ear become displaced, causing dizziness. A doctor, otolaryngologist, audiologist, or physical therapist can treat BPPV by carefully moving the head and torso to move the displaced calcium particles back to their original position Learn...
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What are the treatments for Balance Problems ?
Mnire's disease is caused by changes in fluid volumes in the inner ear. People with Mnire's disease can help reduce its dizzying effects by lowering the amount of salt (sodium) in their diets. Limiting alcohol or caffeine also may be helpful. Some medications, such as corticosteroids or the antibiotic gentamicin, also ...
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How to prevent Balance Problems ?
Scientists are working to understand the complex interactions between the brain and the part of the inner ear responsible for balance. They are also studying the effectiveness of certain exercises as a treatment option for balance disorders. An NIDCD-supported clinical trial in benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BP...
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What is (are) COPD ?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a progressive lung disease in which the airways of the lungs become damaged, making it hard to breathe. You may also have heard COPD called other names, like emphysema or chronic bronchitis. In people who have COPD, the airways that carry air in and out of the lungs ar...
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What causes COPD ?
Smoking Most cases of COPD develop over time, from breathing in fumes and other things that irritate the lungs. Some of the things that put you at risk for COPD include smoking, environmental exposure, and genetic factors. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of COPD in the United States (either current or former...
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How to prevent COPD ?
If you have COPD, you can take these steps to prevent complications and control the disabling effects of the disease. - Quit smoking. - Avoid exposure to pollutants and lung irritants. - Take precautions against the flu. - Talk to your doctor about the flu and pneumonia vaccines. - See your doctor on a regular bas...
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What are the symptoms of COPD ?
Common Symptoms The most common symptoms of COPD are - a cough that does not go away - coughing up lots of sputum (mucus). a cough that does not go away coughing up lots of sputum (mucus). These symptoms often start years before the flow of air in and out of the lungs is reduced. Not everyone who has a cough and sp...
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What is (are) COPD ?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a progressive lung disease in which the airways of the lungs become damaged, making it harder to breathe. With COPD, airways become blocked, making it harder to get air in and out.
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What causes COPD ?
COPD is a disease that slowly worsens over time, especially if you continue to smoke. If you have COPD, you are more likely to have lung infections, which can be fatal. If the lungs are severely damaged, the heart may be affected. A person with COPD dies when the lungs and heart are unable to function and get oxygen to...
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What causes COPD ?
Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of COPD. Most people with COPD are smokers or have been smokers in the past. Breathing in other fumes and dusts over long periods of time can also lead to COPD. Pipe, cigar, and other types of tobacco smoking can cause COPD, especially if the smoke is inhaled. Exposure to seco...
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What are the symptoms of COPD ?
The most common symptoms of COPD are a cough that does not go away and coughing up a lot of sputum (mucus). These symptoms may occur years before lung damage has reduced the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Other symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, especially with exercise; wheezing (a whistling sound whe...
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How to diagnose COPD ?
To confirm a COPD diagnosis, a doctor will use a breathing test called spirometry. The test is easy and painless. It shows how well the lungs are working. The spirometer measures how much air the lungs can hold and how fast air is blown out of the lungs. Other tests, such as bronchodilator reversibility testing, a ches...
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What are the treatments for COPD ?
Treatment for COPD can be different for each person and is based on whether symptoms are mild, moderate or severe. Treatments include medication, pulmonary or lung rehabilitation, oxygen treatment, and surgery. There are also treatments to manage complications or a sudden onset of symptoms.
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How to diagnose COPD ?
If you have not been exercising regularly, you should get the advice of your doctor before starting. The symptoms of COPD are different for each person. People with mild COPD may not have much difficulty walking or exercising. As the symptoms of COPD get worse over time, a person may have more difficulty with walking a...
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How to prevent COPD ?
If you smoke, the most important thing you can do to prevent more lung damage is to stop smoking. It is also important to stay away from people who smoke and places where you know there will be smokers. Avoid exposure to pollutants like dust, fumes, and poor air quality, and take precautions to prevent flu and pneumoni...
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What are the treatments for COPD ?
Bronchodilators and inhaled steroids are two medications used to treat COPD. Bronchodilators work by relaxing the muscles around the airways, opening them and making it easier to breathe. People with mild COPD take bronchodilators using an inhaler only when needed. Those with moderate or severe COPD may need more regul...
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What are the symptoms of COPD ?
Call your doctor right away if your symptoms worsen suddenly. People with COPD may have symptoms that suddenly get worse. When this happens, you have a much harder time catching your breath. Symptoms that worsen suddenly can include sudden chest tightness, more coughing, a change in your sputum (mucus), or fever. Your ...
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What is (are) COPD ?
More information on COPD is available at: What is COPD? and at the Learn More, Breathe Better Campaign For information on quitting smoking, visit http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/ or Smokefree.gov. For information on the H1N1 flu and COPD, go to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Disease ?
Alzheimers disease is a brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. It begins slowly and gets worse over time. Currently, it has no cure. A Common Cause of Dementia Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people....
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What causes Alzheimer's Disease ?
There are two types of Alzheimers diseaseearly-onset and late-onset. Early-onset Alzheimers is a rare form of the disease that occurs in people age 30 to 60. It occurs in less than 5 percent of all people with Alzheimers. Almost all people with Alzheimers disease have late-onset Alzheimer's, which usually develops afte...
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What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease ?
Alzheimer's disease varies from person to person so not everyone will have the same symptoms. Also, the disease progresses faster in some people than in others. In general, though, Alzheimers takes many years to develop and becomes increasingly severe over time. Memory Problems -- A Common Early Sign Memory problems ar...
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How to prevent Alzheimer's Disease ?
Currently, no medicines or other treatments are known to prevent Alzheimers disease, but scientists are studying many possibilities. These possibilities include lifestyle factors such as exercise and physical activity, a healthy diet, and mentally stimulating activities. In addition to lifestyle factors, scientists hav...
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What are the treatments for Alzheimer's Disease ?
Medications Can Treat Symptoms There is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease, but there are medicines that can treat symptoms of the disease. Most Alzheimers medicines work best for people in the mild or moderate stages of the disease. For example, they can keep memory loss from getting worse for a time. Other medicin...
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what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Alzheimer's Disease ?
Research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other organizations has expanded knowledge of brain function in healthy older people, identified ways that may lessen age-related cognitive decline, and deepened our understanding of Alzheimers. Many scientists and physicians are working together to unta...
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what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Alzheimer's Disease ?
All types of people are needed to volunteer for Alzheimers research. People with Alzheimer's disease or MCI, those with a family history of Alzheimers, and healthy people with no memory problems and no family history of Alzheimers may be able to take part in clinical trials. Participants in clinical trials help scienti...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Disease ?
Alzheimers disease is a brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. It begins slowly and gets worse over time. Currently, it has no cure. Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia in older people. Get more details about Alzhe...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Disease ?
Dementia is a loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning skills that interferes with a persons daily life and activities. Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Dementia ranges in severity from the mild stage, when it is just beginning to affect a persons functioning, to the sever...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Disease ?
Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, is a condition that can be an early sign of Alzheimers diseasebut not everyone with MCI will develop Alzheimers. People with MCI can still take care of themselves and do their normal activities. Signs of MCI may include - losing things often - forgetting to go to events and appointme...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Disease ?
Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of Alzheimers disease, though different people may have different initial symptoms. A decline in other aspects of thinking, such as finding the right words, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimers...
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What is (are) Alzheimer's Disease ?
Alzheimer's disease has three stages: early (also called mild), middle (moderate), and late (severe). A person in the early stage of Alzheimers may - find it hard to remember things - ask the same questions over and over - get lost in familiar places - lose things or put them in odd places - have trouble handlin...
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What causes Alzheimer's Disease ?
Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer's disease in most people. In early-onset Alzheimers, which occurs in people between the ages of 30 and 60, a genetic mutation is usually the cause. Late-onset Alzheimers, which usually develops after age 60, arises from a complex series of brain changes that ...
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How to diagnose Alzheimer's Disease ?
The only definitive way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease is to find out whether plaques and tangles exist in brain tissue. To look at brain tissue, doctors perform a brain autopsy, an examination of the brain done after a person dies. Doctors can only make a diagnosis of "possible" or probable Alzheimers disease while a...
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How to diagnose Alzheimer's Disease ?
An early, accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease helps people and their families plan for the future. It gives them time to discuss care options, find support, and make legal and financial arrangements while the person with Alzheimers can still take part in making decisions. Also, even though no medicine or other tr...
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How to diagnose Alzheimer's Disease ?
The time from diagnosis of Alzheimers disease to death varies. It can be as little as 3 or 4 years if the person is over 80 years old when diagnosed or as long as 10 years or more if the person is younger.
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What are the treatments for Alzheimer's Disease ?
Currently, no treatment can stop Alzheimer's disease. However, four medications are used to treat its symptoms. These medicines may help maintain thinking, memory, and speaking skills for a limited time. They work by regulating certain chemicals in the brain. Most of these medicines work best for people in the early or...
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How to prevent Alzheimer's Disease ?
Currently, no medicines or treatments are known to prevent Alzheimer's disease, but scientists are studying many possibilities. These possibilities include lifestyle factors such as exercise and physical activity, a healthy diet, and mentally stimulating activities. In addition to lifestyle factors, scientists have fou...
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How to prevent Alzheimer's Disease ?
Research suggests that exercise may play a role in reducing risk for Alzheimers disease. Animal studies show that exercise increases both the number of small blood vessels that supply blood to the brain and the number of connections between nerve cells in older rats and mice. In addition, researchers have found that ex...
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How to prevent Alzheimer's Disease ?
A number of studies suggest that eating certain foods may help keep the brain healthyand that others can be harmful. Researchers are looking at whether a healthy dietone that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and is low in fat and added sugarcan help prevent Alzheimers. For more information about he...
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How to prevent Alzheimer's Disease ?
Keeping the mind sharpthrough social engagement or intellectual stimulationis associated with a lower risk of Alzheimers disease. Activities like working, volunteering, reading, going to lectures, and playing computer and other games are being studied to see if they might help prevent Alzheimers. But we do not know wit...
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