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Heart-healthy eating involves choosing certain foods, such as fruits and vegetables, while limiting others, such as saturated and trans fats and added sugars. Your doctor may recommend the heart-healthy Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan because it has been proven to lower high blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood. Visit our Delicious Heart-Healthy Eating page for recipes, cooking tips, and more.

With the growing popularity of gluten-free products at your local grocery store, you may have wondered if you should avoid eating gluten. Sidestepping gluten can be a lifestyle choice for many. But for those with a condition known as celiac disease, it’s a medical necessity.

Are you male or female? The answer to this seemingly simple question can have a major impact on your health. While both sexes are similar in many ways, researchers have found that sex and social factors can make a difference when it comes to your risk for disease, how well you respond to medications, and how often you seek medical care...

A change in season can brighten your days with vibrant new colors. But blooming flowers and falling leaves can usher in more than beautiful backdrops. Airborne substances that irritate your nose can blow in with the weather. When sneezing, itchy eyes, or a runny nose suddenly appears, allergies may be to blame.

Want the secret to living a longer and healthier life? Scientists have found ways to prolong the healthy lifespans of worms, mice, and even monkeys. Their work has revealed exciting new clues about the biology of aging...

If you have hypersensitivity pneumonitis, you can take steps to control the condition and prevent complications by receiving routine follow-up care, monitoring your condition, preventing new acute flares and complications, and learning about and preparing for serious complications.

Treatments for hypersensitivity pneumonitis usually include avoidance strategies and medicines such as corticosteroids or immunosuppressive that reduce inflammation. Other supportive therapies include oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, or opioids. Occasionally, lung transplants are used to treat severe chronic disease in some patients.

To diagnose hypersensitivity pneumonitis, your doctor will collect your medical history, assess exposure history to possible causative substances, perform a physical exam, and possibly order diagnostic tests and procedures such as: blood tests, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), computed tomography (CT), inhalation challenge tests, lung biopsies, lung function tests, precipitin tests, or chest x-rays.

Signs and symptoms vary between acute, subacute, and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis and may include flu-like illness including fever, chills, muscle or joint pain, or headaches; rales; cough; chronic bronchitis; shortness of breath; anorexia or weight loss; fatigue; fibrosis of the lungs; or clubbing of fingers or toes. Complications of chronic disease may include irreversible lung damage, permanently reduced lung function, pulmonary hypotension, or heart failure.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is caused by repeated exposure to environmental substances that cause inflammation in the lungs when inhaled. Substances include: bacteria, fungi or molds, proteins, or chemicals.