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You may have an increased risk for bleeding disorders because of your age, family history and genetics, other medical conditions and medicines, and your sex.

DIC is caused by another medical condition that makes the body’s normal blood clotting process become overactive. The condition progresses through two stages. In the early stages, overactive clotting leads to blood clots throughout the blood vessels. The clots can reduce or block blood flow, damaging organs.

Pleural disorders may be caused by inflammation, injury, or an imbalance of fluids in the pleural space.

Vasculitis occurs when your immune system injures your blood vessels by mistake. What causes this to happen is not fully known, but when it occurs, your blood vessels become inflamed and can narrow or close off. Rarely, the blood vessel wall may weaken, causing it to expand or bulge. This bulge is known as an aneurysm.

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs because it can't fill with enough blood and/or can't pump blood to the rest of the body with enough force.

The most common signs and symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen, and veins in the neck.

You can take action to prevent heart disease and heart failure by avoiding illegal drugs, being physically active, following a heart-healthy eating plan, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Your doctor will diagnose heart valve disease based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and results from one or more tests: electrocardiogram (EKG), chest x ray, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, stress testing, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Metabolic syndrome has several causes that act together. You can control some of the causes, such as overweight and obesity, an inactive lifestyle, and insulin resistance. You can’t control other factors, such as growing older, genetics, or coexisting conditions such as excessive blood clotting and constant, low-grade inflammation.

Doctors usually detect mitral valve prolapse when they hear a heart murmur or abnormal heart sounds during a physical exam. To diagnose this condition your doctor may order the following tests and procedures: echocardiography with Doppler ultrasound, chest x ray, and electrocardiogram (EKG).