If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may be at risk of health problems throughout your body. Even if you've never been hospitalized, you and your doctor need to closely watch for signs of complications.

United States Food and Drug Administration officials today delayed approval of Eliquis ( apixaban ) to prevent stroke or systemic embolism in patients with a common heart arrhythmia for the second time.

An investigational drug appears to offer significant improvements for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), a recent trial found.

Following a blood clot patients commonly take warfarin (Coumadin) to prevent a recurrence. It may be just as safe and effective for those individuals to later switch to aspirin.

Following a close vote, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel has declined to recommend r ivaroxaban ( Xarelto ) to treat acute coronary syndrome.

After certain types of heart attacks, doctors often use stents to prop open the arteries. Another method that may be used involves removing blood clots through thrombus aspiration (TA), but studies have shown mixed long-term results.

Heart failure patients often take medication to lower their risk of stroke, hemorrhage or dying. A common choice is warfarin (Coumadin), though a large clinical trial has found that cheaper over-the-counter aspirin may be just as effective.

Patients with certain types of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, are at a high risk of stroke and blood clots if they temporarily stop their blood thinning medication before surgery or permanently because of side effects.

Hospitalized patients who undergo surgery aren't the only ones at risk of suffering a dangerous blood clot. Patients undergoing outpatient procedures also are at risk.

Spicing up lunch with the addition of fiery peppers may do the heart favors. Capsaicin , a substance that adds the heat to a variety of peppers, including jalapenos and habaneros , has been found to improve heart and blood vessel health.