Many people may have questions for their doctors about tests, surgery and other procedures, therapy and recovery, drug treatment, risk factors and lifestyle changes. Here are examples of common questions; the topics are in alphabetical order.
About blood cholesterol
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What do my cholesterol numbers mean? |
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What is my goal cholesterol level? |
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How often should I have my levels checked? |
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How does exercise affect my cholesterol levels? |
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What type of foods should I eat? |
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Will I need cholesterol-lowering medicine? |
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How long will it take to reach my cholesterol goals? |
About diet after heart attack, stroke or surgery
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What foods should I eat? |
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What foods should I limit? |
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How do I read food labels? |
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What are some cooking tips for me? |
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What about eating out? |
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What can I eat at fast-food restaurants? |
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How can I control the portions? |
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How much salt may I eat? |
About drug treatment
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Will I need to take medicine? |
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What kind of medicine should I take? |
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Will my insurance cover this medication? |
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Can I take the generic form of the medicine? |
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What should I know about the medicine? |
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What are the side effects? |
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How do I know if it's working? |
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How can I remember when to take medicine? |
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What if I forget to take a medicine? |
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Should I avoid any foods or other medicines? |
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Can I drink alcohol?
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How long will I need to take my medicine? |
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Will I have to keep taking medicine? |
About high blood pressure
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What should my blood pressure be? |
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What are my options in controlling high blood pressure? |
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How often should my blood pressure be checked? |
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What about home blood pressure monitors? |
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Should I use blood pressure machines at stores? |
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How does exercise affect my blood pressure? |
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What's my daily sodium (or salt) limit? |
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Is there sodium in the medicine I take? |
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Will I need to take blood pressure medicine? |
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Will I always have to take medicine? |
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Why do I need to lose weight? |
About the hospital (before surgery or procedure)
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When do I check in? |
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What will happen before the (surgery, procedure)? |
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How long will it take? |
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Where can my family wait for me? |
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What effects (temporary or permanent) will the surgery have on me? |
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What is the doctor's experience in performing this procedure? |
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What medicines will be prescribed (short term/long term)? |
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For how long will I have to rest at home after surgery? |
About a pacemaker or implanted defibrillator
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Does the shock hurt? |
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How long will my batteries last? |
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How do I know if it's working? |
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When can I take showers and baths? |
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Can I swim? |
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What equipment or devices should I avoid? |
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Can my arrhythmia be cured? |
About physical activity after stroke, heart attack or surgery
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Why is physical activity important? |
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Can I exercise? When? |
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Can I play sports? |
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What are the best types of activities for me? |
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How much activity do I need? |
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Can I have sex? |
About physical therapy and rehabilitation
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When do I start rehabilitation? |
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How often should I go to rehab? |
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Is it covered by my health insurance? |
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How long will I need therapy? |
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What happens when my rehab program stops? |
About quitting cigarettes and tobacco
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What can I do to stop the cravings? |
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How many minutes do cravings last? |
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What about a nicotine patch or gum? |
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After I quit, when will the urges stop? |
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What if I start gaining weight? |
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How can I keep from gaining weight? |
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How can family and friends help? |
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What if I slip and go back to tobacco? |
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How long will it take to reduce my risk? |
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What do I do if a nicotine patch or gum doesn't work? |
About recovery at home (after heart attack, stroke or surgery)
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Can leaving the hospital cause mixed feelings? |
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Will I need special transportation or equipment? |
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Should I stay in bed? |
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How much activity can I do? |
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How can my family help me? |
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Can I get financial assistance? |
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Can I get emotional assistance? |
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Can I get in-home assistance for daily tasks? |
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What type of diet should I eat? |
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What about medicine? |
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Will my (aphasia, chest pains, weakness, etc.) go away? |
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When should I call my doctor? |
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Are my feelings normal? |
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What if I stay depressed? |
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Can I have sex? |
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How soon can I drive? |
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When can I go back to work? |
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When should I schedule a visit to the doctor? |
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How can I prevent another attack? |
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What changes should I make in my lifestyle? |
About recovery in the hospital (after stroke, heart attack or surgery)
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What happens after surgery? |
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How soon can my family visit? |
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Will there be pain or fever? |
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What are the ICU and CCU? |
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What happens in the ICU and CCU? |
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What are the tubes and wires for? |
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Can I see the monitors? |
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What does it mean if an alarm goes off? |
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What feelings can arise in the ICU? |
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When will I leave the ICU? |
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How long will the breathing tube stay in? |
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What happens when I leave the ICU? |
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What can be done to help in recovery? |
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How soon can I get out of bed? |
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What is a good sleeping position? |
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When can I eat and drink? |
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What about bathing? |
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When will my (chest, head, neck, leg, etc.) heal? |
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What about medicine? |
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How long will the pain last? |
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When do I start rehabilitation? |
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How long do I stay in the hospital? |
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What should my family know? |
About surgery or procedures
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Will I need surgery? |
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Why do I need it? |
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What is the surgery or procedure like? |
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How is it done? |
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What are the risks? |
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Could I have a stroke or heart attack during surgery? |
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What are the alternatives? |
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Will I need this procedure or surgery again? |
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What should my family know? |
About symptoms and warning signs
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How can I tell a heart attack from angina? |
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How is a heart attack different from a stroke? |
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How is a TIA different from a stroke? |
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What should I do if I have any of the symptoms of a stroke or heart attack? |
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Where can I or someone in my family take a CPR class? |
About tests for heart or brain function
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Why do I need it? |
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How is it done? |
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Will it hurt? |
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What will the test show? |
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How soon will I get the results? |
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What is monitored during the test? |
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What equipment is used? |
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Is there a risk? |
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Could it give me a heart attack or stroke? |
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What are the alternatives? |
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Will my artificial heart valve cause problems? |
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Could my implanted pacemaker cause problems? |
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Will I need more tests? |
About weight control
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Why are weight control and physical activity important? |
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How often should I check my weight? |
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How much weight should I lose? |
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How fast should I lose weight? |
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What diet guidelines should I follow? |
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What are the best types of physical activities for me? |
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How much physical activity do I need to do? |
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How much weight gain is too much? |
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How can family and friends help? |
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How do I find a dietitian to help me develop a good, long-term weight-loss plan? |
Related subjects listed in the Index
