Being overweight or obese can raise the risk for heart disease and stroke. While losing weight may help, shedding pounds can be hard. There may be other ways for overweight people to lower these risks.

Type 2 diabetes can lead to kidney failure, heart problems and even blindness. Weight loss surgery might help protect against these diabetes-related health issues.

When a valve in the heart isn’t working efficiently, surgery may be necessary. There may be an advantage to replacing the valve rather than just repairing it, but not a very big one.

Lowering a person’s body temperature after his or her heart stops takes time. Getting a head start in the ambulance may help get things going, but it may not change much else.

When someone’s heart stops, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may save his or her life. Both CPR machines and people can perform CPR to help keep the heart pumping.

People don't have to be medical professionals to help someone having a heart attack. To make a difference, though, non-medical bystanders must be trained in how to take fast emergency action.

Many people who are overweight or obese have metabolic syndrome, which increases their risk of developing heart problems. However, even without metabolic syndrome, extra weight may spell trouble for heart health.

Some “healthy” oils may not be as healthy as advertised. While corn and safflower oils may lower cholesterol, they may not protect against heart disease and, in fact, they may do more harm than good.

When prescribing high blood pressure medication, doctors often focus on getting their patients to reach a blood pressure target. A more individualized approach, looking at multiple factors, may be more effective.

The most widely prescribed medication for diabetes, metformin, also has heart health benefits for diabetes patients. For those without diabetes, however, its effects on the heart may be limited.