Not all hospitals can afford to have stroke experts on hand around the clock. This is particularly true for small or rural medical centers where such a move might not make sense when they see so few stroke patients.

Blood thinners are commonly given after heart surgery to reduce the risk of blood clots, strokes and other complications. The question is how much they reduce the risk.

A common treatment after having a blood clot is taking blood thinner medication. But many doctors will eventually take patients off medication when it's no longer necessary. Then what?

Meditation may not be high on your to-do list if you have a busy lifestyle. It makes sense to find time to unwind because the added relaxation may offer your heart a boost.

Some people's immune systems produce antibodies that fight parts of their own bodies. These aren’t always a big deal. But sometimes they can contribute to stroke or miscarriage risk.

Cocaine overdoses can often end up in heart attacks. But long-term habitual cocaine use can also change the structure of the heart to set it up for a heart attack not from an overdose.

Lighting up in a restaurant or a bar affects more than your own lungs. The secondhand smoke is inhaled by those around you as well — unless you live in an area with smoke-free legislation.

Taking any medication requires patients to balance the risks and benefits of the drug. But these vary by person because every person is unique. Antidepressants, for example, affect different people in different ways.

Losing weight has been shown to reduce the risk of heart problems and other complications of diabetes. However, one weight loss program did not seem to protect diabetes patients from heart-related risks.

A decade ago, when a woman reached menopause, she likely reached for hormone replacement therapy to calm the symptoms associated with the change in life. Then a large study called the Women's Health Initiative challenged that treatment.