Being overweight or obese can raise the risk for heart disease and stroke. While losing weight may help, shedding pounds can be hard. There may be other ways for overweight people to lower these risks.

Type 2 diabetes can lead to kidney failure, heart problems and even blindness. Weight loss surgery might help protect against these diabetes-related health issues.

When a valve in the heart isn’t working efficiently, surgery may be necessary. There may be an advantage to replacing the valve rather than just repairing it, but not a very big one.

While managing blood pressure can lower the risk for stroke, the benefits may not be as great for patients who have already experienced a stroke.

Exercising is a key part of staying healthy, but you don't always have to sprint to reap the benefits. New research shows that leisurely walking may have significant health advantages.

Current human exposure to the metal tungsten is thought to be low. But increasingly, the metal, which is used in cell phones and computers, is entering the environment and being linked to higher health risks.

Some “healthy” oils may not be as healthy as advertised. While corn and safflower oils may lower cholesterol, they may not protect against heart disease and, in fact, they may do more harm than good.

When prescribing high blood pressure medication, doctors often focus on getting their patients to reach a blood pressure target. A more individualized approach, looking at multiple factors, may be more effective.

Properly balanced hormones deliver benefits such as strong bones and healthy sexual function. Restoring natural hormones lost due to illness or aging with hormone supplements is an option, but it may carry risks.

To prevent repeat strokes, surgeons are adapting the same methods used to open blocked heart arteries to open brain arteries. This technique, however, may not be as safe as more traditional therapies.