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You may have an increased risk for conduction disorders because of your age, family history and genetics, medical conditions, medicines, race or ethnicity, or sex. These factors can differ by the type of conduction disorder you have.

Breathing involves two phases: breathing in and breathing out. Your lungs deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from your blood in a process called gas exchange. Gas exchange happens in the capillaries surrounding the alveoli, where the oxygen that is breathed in enters the circulatory system and carbon dioxide in the blood is released to the lungs and then breathed out. If you have problems breathing, gas exchange may be impaired, increasing the risk of serious health problems.

Signs and symptoms of DIC depend on whether the condition is acute or chronic. Acute DIC is more severe and develops quickly over hours or days. Chronic DIC happens more slowly and sometimes has no signs or symptoms. Complications from DIC can occur from both the clotting that happens in the early stages of the condition and from bleeding in the later stages. Serious complications include organ damage and hemorrhage.

Your genes, or other causes such as medical conditions or medicines, can cause bleeding disorders. Sometimes a cause may not be known. Any problem that affects the function or number of clotting factors or platelets can lead to a bleeding disorder.

Many people who have conduction disorders, such as first-degree AV block, may have no obvious signs or symptoms. Others may have signs and symptoms that occur in specific situations, such as when you experience physical or emotional stress or when you sleep. Conduction disorders can lead to life-threatening arrhythmias if undiagnosed or untreated.

Damage to the lung’s air sacs—called alveoli—causes ARDS. Fluid from tiny blood vessels leaks through the damaged walls of the air sacs and collects, limiting the lungs’ normal exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The damage also causes inflammation that leads to the breakdown of surfactant—a liquid that helps keep your air sacs open.

The signs, symptoms, and complications of vasculitis vary depending on which type of vasculitis you have, the organs involved, and the severity of the condition. Some people may have few signs and symptoms. Other people may become very sick.

Marfan syndrome is a genetic condition caused by a mutation, or change, in one of your genes, called the fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene. The FBN1 gene makes fibrillin-1, which is a protein that forms elastic fibers within connective tissue. Fibrillin-1 also affects levels of another protein that helps control how you grow.

If you have a known family history of Marfan syndrome or physical features of the condition, your doctor may recommend screening to find the condition early. Relatives of people who have Marfan syndrome may also want to have genetic screening. There is no way to prevent Marfan syndrome.

Certain diseases, conditions, or factors can raise your risk for cardiomyopathy. Major risk factors include a family history, preexisting disease or condition, diabetes, diseases that can damage the heart, long-term alcoholism, and long-term high blood pressure.