A study which came out in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that some popular medicines used as initial therapy for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may hike the risk of heart attacks, strokes and death from heart ailments.

COPD, the fourth leading cause of morbidity in the U.S., refers to chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which are incurable lung diseases traced to a variety of causes, including cigarette smoking

Inhaler drugs, one of the most commonly prescribed treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may increase the risk of fatal heart complications and stroke, a study found.

The drugs under scrutiny are tiotropium, sold as Spiriva Handihaler by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and ipratropium, sold by Boehringer under the brand name Atrovent. Also known as inhaled anticholinergics, the drugs work by relaxing the muscles around constricted airways and relieving symptoms such as shortness of breath

Regular brushing of teeth can reduce your chances of developing heart disease, says a new study.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in Britain say that failing to scrub one's teeth can result in the formation of up to 700 different bacteria in the human mouth that in turn can trigger heart disease

- Jordan's Queen Rania has urged her country's people to stick to a healthy eating regime during Ramadan, an Islamic holy month where eating between dawn and sunset is forbidden.

The queen is concerned that people are tending to overeat after sunset because they have deprived themselves of food during the day, and is backing the government media campaign to encourage people to steer clear of heavy, rich meals in the evening

Researchers have found that its not how much fat a person has, but where that fat is located that determines whether someone is at risk for cardiovascular or metabolic diseases.

Physicians at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center conducted a new study using cardiac and CT scans to measure fat deposits in 398 white and black participants ages 47-86