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Some people who have cardiomyopathy never have signs or symptoms or only have signs and symptoms in later stages of the disease. As cardiomyopathy worsens and the heart weakens, signs and symptoms of heart failure—trouble breathing, fatigue, and swelling—usually occur.

Heart valve disease occurs if one or more of your heart valves don't work well. The heart has four valves—the tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves—that make sure blood flows in the right direction through your heart’s four chambers and to the rest of your body.

After a heart attack, you'll need treatment for coronary heart disease to help prevent another heart attack. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, medicines, and a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Heart valve disease is a lifelong condition. See your doctor regularly for ongoing care and to determine how this condition may affect pregnancy.

Certain risk factors make it more likely that you'll develop coronary heart disease and have a heart attack. Risk factors you can control include smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, overweight and obesity, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and high blood sugar due to insulin resistance or diabetes. Risk factors you can’t control include age, family history of early heart disease, and preeclampsia.

Your doctor will diagnose metabolic syndrome based on the results of a physical exam and blood tests. You must have at least three of the five metabolic risk factors—a large waistline, a high triglyceride level, a low HDL cholesterol level, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood sugar—to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

The main sign of heart valve disease is an unusual heartbeat sound called a heart murmur.

Risk factors for heart valve disease include older age and a history of infective endocarditis, rheumatic fever, heart attack, or heart failure. You’re also at higher risk for heart valve disease if you have risk factors for coronary heart disease or were born with a certain aortic valve condition.

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.

Making heart-healthy lifestyle choices is the best way to prevent metabolic syndrome by being physically active, following a heart-healthy eating plan, knowing your weight, waist measurement, and BMI, and maintaining a healthy weight.