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Mitral valve prolapse can occur in anyone. However, aging and certain diseases—such as rheumatic fever, connective tissue disorders, Graves’ disease, scoliosis, and some types of muscular dystrophy—can increase the risk of developing the condition.

Most people who have mitral valve prolapse don’t have any symptoms of the condition. When mitral valve prolapse does cause signs and symptoms, they can include: palpitations, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, dizziness, anxiety, migraine headaches, and chest discomfort. Complications of mitral valve prolapse include arrhythmias and infection of the mitral valve.

Physical activity is any body movement that works your muscles, which requires more energy than resting. Examples include walking, running, dancing, swimming, yoga, and gardening. Exercise is a type of planned or structured physical activity.

The main types of physical activity are aerobic, muscle-strengthening, bone-strengthening, and stretching. Aerobic activity, which makes your heart beat faster, provides the most benefit for your heart and lungs. Depending on your fitness level, aerobic activity can be light, moderate, or vigorous.

The chemicals in tobacco smoke, including secondhand smoke and smoke from pipes or cigars, can cause changes in the body. Body changes can include inflammation, damage to blood vessel walls, changes to heart rhythm, an increase in blood pressure, changes in cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and thickened blood. Smoking can increase your risk for heart disease and peripheral artery disease.

Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke benefits your heart and blood vessels. Studies show that quitting smoking lowers the risk for atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and complications such as heart attack or death.

A stroke occurs when the flow of oxygen rich blood to a portion of the brain is interrupted, which can cause brain cells to die.

Sudden cardiac arrest is an emergency. A person having sudden cardiac arrest needs to be treated with a defibrillator to send an electric shock to the heart right away to restore normal heart rhythm. Use of automated external defibrillators and CPR can be performed by bystanders. If you survive sudden cardiac arrest, you’ll likely be admitted to the hospital for ongoing care and treatment.

Heart-healthy lifestyle changes are the first line of treatment for metabolic syndrome. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your doctor may prescribe medicines.

Se desconoce exactamente qué produce el asma, y las causas pueden variar de una persona a otra. A menudo, el asma es el resultado de una fuerte respuesta del sistema inmunológico a un alérgeno en el medioambiente. Por ejemplo, la exposición a un alérgeno en el medioambiente, como la ambrosía, puede hacer que sus vías aéreas reaccionen fuertemente. Es posible que otras personas expuestas al mismo alérgeno no reaccionen en absoluto, o que su respuesta sea diferente. La razón por la que una persona reacciona a una exposición, mientras que otras no lo hacen, no se entiende por completo, aunque se lo puede explicar parcialmente por medio de los genes.