Think a pill that packs two cholesterol-lowering drugs in one potent package is a good idea? The Food and Drug Administration thinks so. It recently approved the combination of the popular statin drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) with another medication called Zetia (ezetimbe). But our medical advisers say the new product, Liptruzet, is too risky and too expensive.

Consumption of soda and other sugary drinks might be linked to some 180,000 deaths a year worldwide, including 25,000 in the U.S., according to a new study. The findings might help to bolster the arguments of advocates seeking to ban the sale of certain large-size sugary drinks.

Q. I've heard that squid oil is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Is it better than oil from salmon and other fatty fish?

Switching to a diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruit, vegetables, and even some wine and chocolate can slash your risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from heart disease. That's the conclusion of a landmark study out this week in the New England of Medicine.

Let's hope that the pounding you feel in your chest today is love. But let's face it, while it may not seem romantic, the best gift you can give a loved one is a healthy heart. So here are five simple things you can do to keep your heart ticking for many more Valentine's Days to come.

The United States spends twice as much per person on health care as the rest of the developed world, with little to show for it except shorter and unhealthier lives than citizens of its peer nations enjoy.

Do you think of taking a daily multivitamin as a form of "health insurance"? More evidence suggests that you may be wasting your money.

For almost two decades research has suggested that people with diabetes and multiple clogged arteries live longer and have fewer heart attacks if they undergo bypass surgery instead of angioplasty. Yet many of those people continue to be treated by angioplasty, since many doctors remain unaware of the evidence, or unconvinced by it. Now a major new study, out this week in the New England Journal of Medicine should finally settle the matter in bypass's favor.

If you rely on electricity for home medical equipment like an oxygen tank, ventilator, medical bed, wheel chair, or blood glucose monitor, losing power can be much more than an inconvenience. Your first step should be to call your electric company and fire department to let them know that you have a medical device that needs power. While you wait for power to be restored or help to come, here's some advice from the U.S. Food and Drug and Administration on what else to do:

You can now get tests to check for clogged arteries or weak bones at your local pharmacy, your gym, the mall, or even your church, often at discount prices. Good idea? No, according to an editorial out yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Our medical experts agree.

Heart disease is the leading killer in the U.S., so you might assume keeping close tabs on your heart with routine exercise stress tests, or electrocardiogram screenings (EKGs), is a no-brainer. That may be true if you already have heart disease or certain risk factors, like diabetes. But we've long advised that EKGs are usually not a good idea for healthy adults without symptoms of heart disease. And that view was confirmed today by a new report from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

On a recent visit to see my mom, we had a reminder about the importance of regularly checking blood-pressure levels. She's already on medication for the condition, but her hairdresser noticed her ankles were swollen and suggested we get her levels checked. Good thing: They were unusually high, indicating stage 2 hypertension, which could trigger a heart attack, stroke, or kidney problems.

Should an electrocardiogram be a regular part of your annual exam? A study out today in the Journal of the American Association says maybe, if you're 70 or older. But we don't think so, and an accompanying editorial agrees—and even quotes us saying so.

If you have heart disease, a study out yesterday in the Archives of Internal Medicine might make you think twice about taking fish-oil pills to prevent a second heart attack. But the American Heart Association is sticking to its longstanding recommendations—and so are we.

If you have stable heart disease the initial treatment should usually be lifestyle changes plus drugs, not angioplasty, according to a study out today in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Yet, as we’ve previously reported, that’s not the way doctors treat most people with heart disease.