A patient's own bone marrow cells may be able to repair hearts weakened by heart failure by improving their pumping ability. The improvement in a recent study was considered small, but significant.

The research, though still limited in size, marked the largest study to date in using stem cells to repair heart damage caused by chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction.

Dr. Emerson Perin, director of clinical research for...

Prolonged periods of stress can have negative effects on the human body - but the extent of these effects is still being explored. New data suggests that chronic stress may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

During breast cancer surgery, the surgeon takes some healthy tissue to make sure all the cancer is removed. The area between the tumor bed and healthy tissue is known as the margin, a key outcome measurement.

New oral blood thinner rivaroxaban (Xarelto) has been shown to be safer for treating a pulmonary embolism as compared to enoxaparin (Lovenox) injections, and was found to be just as effective.

Chemical signals in the body regulate the immune system. One of the more powerful groups is the category known as cytokines. Early attempts to use the immune system to attack cancer were abandoned because of the many side effects caused by immune system dysfunction.

Following hospitalization, heart patients may do significantly better in remembering to take their medications with intervention that includes reminders, checklists and educational materials.

Cancer cells divide quickly, meaning that their genetic material is unprotected more often than normal cells. Radiation therapy targets the tumor to increase mutations, damaging the tumor cells to the point of killing the cell.

Grappling with blood pressure that is slightly elevated? Eating raisins regularly may offer a significant blood pressure benefit, says the first controlled research to study the dried grapes.

A second large study has revealed less than stellar results for an experimental Merck blood thinner. Researchers found that while it reduced cardiovascular events, it also increased the risk of major bleeding.

As healthcare has improved, it's no longer uncommon for patients to live past age 90. Guidelines do not currently address older heart attack patients receiving a stent to prop open a blocked artery.