Less than 10 percent of cardiovascular guidelines to help doctors are based on the most carefully conducted scientific studies. A lot of the rest are based on much flimsier evidence.
New findings about the health effects of e-cigarettes add to a small but growing body of research that undercuts the widely presumed safety of the alternative to conventional cigarettes.
Patients and doctors should have nuanced conversations about the benefits and risks of statins before deciding to start them. The drugs can reduce heart attack odds but also carry some side effects.
Results from a large international study show that risks from taking daily low-dose aspirin outweigh the potential benefits for older people in generally good health.
An insured Texas teacher, 44, faces a "balance bill" of almost twice his annual salary from an out-of-network hospital's treatment of his sudden heart attack.
A new public health campaign says controlling high blood pressure is among the best ways to keep your brain sharp. The neurologist in charge aims to lead by example.
As early as your mid-40s, especially if you're sedentary, your heart muscle can show signs of aging, losing its youthful elasticity and power. But moderately strenuous exercise can change that.
New guidelines have lowered the threshold for high blood pressure to 130/80, which makes it even more important to get an accurate reading. Here's how to increase the odds of getting it right.
If you sit too much during middle age — at work and at home — your ability to exercise or even walk in late decades is at risk, a study hints. And, of course, your risk of heart disease climbs, too.
For years, we've been told that less salt is better. But some scientists say that the world's universal seasoning has been maligned and that moderate salt intake is healthier for many people.
It depends what's causing the inflammation and how long it lasts. But the habits that keep you healthy overall also help prevent the bad inflammation that increases the risk of chronic disease.
A quick prescription and annual lecture from a doctor often aren't enough to help people control hypertension. So some clinics now mobilize teams of health pros to motivate and support patients.
People with heart disease should keep their weight down, but it can be hard to lose weight and keep it off. Now a study shows big fluctuations may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The injectible drug Repatha is spectacularly good at lowering cholesterol. But the first big clinical trial of its ability to prevent heart attack and stroke finds smaller benefits.
Once an elite swimmer and a Yale grad, Siphiwe Baleka now coaches 3,000 fellow truckers on the best ways to work out, eat right and stay connected on the road. Drivers say his wellness plan works.
Overall, U.S. life expectancy dipped in 2015 — the first drop since 1993. That's because the death rate went up between 2014 and 2015, driven by an increase in mortality among people younger than 65.
People with unlucky genes but good health habits were half as likely to develop heart disease as those who had an unhealthful lifestyle and genes that increased their heart risk, a study found.
Smartphones can be used to test for atrial fibrillation, a common heart condition that can cause strokes. But it's still not clear who should use this emerging technology.
Some genetic tests for a common cause of sudden heart failure can be wrong, researchers say, because the underlying science didn't take into account racial diversity.
A cardiologist knows how to game the system to get his patients bumped up the list for a heart transplant by giving them care they don't need. Is that being a good doctor — or a moral failure?
Research shows exercise-based cardiac rehab programs help heart patients heal faster and live longer. But fewer than a third take part. Time and cost are the main barriers, doctors and patients say.
Linda Johns was in the midst of a presentation at a Seattle bookstore when she suddenly felt intense flulike symptoms. But it wasn't flu. It was a heart attack, a type that hits healthy young women.
Many women and even doctors underestimate a woman's heart attack risk, research shows, as they focus on weight and breast health instead. Tiny damaged arteries in the heart may not show up in scans.
Choosing a heart-healthy lifestyle can help protect your brain as you age, research suggests. And it's not just memory skills that benefit. Problem-solving abilities and judgment are preserved, too.
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