A diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) often is the end result of a lifetime of smoking. So should  COPD patients want to get a checkup for lung cancer as well?

Cardiac surgery is a big deal. Perhaps preparing the body for recovery beforehand could be a good way to boost the body’s ability to repair itself afterwards.

Last year's flu season was unusually mild. But this year is getting an unusually early start, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One type of sleeping pill can treat several other conditions, like insomnia, epilepsy and anxiety. But it may also weaken the immune system.

Overcast with a chance of flu? With a flu prediction system that works like weather forecasts, you might hear about an influenza front closing in on your region.

Rates of whooping cough (pertussis) have increased in recent years. One concern has been that the vaccine for pertussis becomes weaker over time. A recent study found this to be the case. During a California outbreak of pertussis, many of the grade school children had received their DTaP vaccine for pertussis.

A European agency has issued their recommendation for a change in the use of a pneumonia vaccine. The vaccine will now await approval from the European Commission.

Getting sick while pregnant may make expectant moms feel even more ill at ease. Will the illness affect your child? Can it increase his or her risk of autism? So far, it seems unlikely.

Getting a jab for the flu might do more than protect you from coming down with it. It might actually lower your risk of a heart attack. Two recent studies have found a possible benefit for your heart from the flu vaccine.