They can shock a heart back into rhythm and save a life. But are too many of these heart devices being implanted?

Each month, about 10,000 Americans have implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) put into their bodies. The main function of these devices is to sense fast or irregular heart rhythms that can be potentially fatal and then to shock the ventricles, the heart's two main pumping chambers, back into a regular, healthy heartbeat. The shock can be quite painful and may feel like a hard punch or kick in the chest. In essence, the ICD is an automated, in-the-body version of ...

Gait speed, hiking poles, and footwear.

Walking is one of the simplest, least expensive, and most effective things you can do for your health. It strengthens bones, tunes up the cardiovascular system, and, psychologically, can clear a cluttered mind. Hundreds of studies have documented its benefits. Here are three pieces about some interesting research into this most pedestrian activity.

1. Gait speed As we get older, the stroll that was once a walk in the park may get difficult for any number of reasons: angina, arthritis, bad balance, failing vision. In the latter decades, walking becomes as much an indicator ...

Question: If you've had shingles, should you get the vaccine to protect yourself from getting it again?

Answer: Shingles is caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus — the virus that causes chickenpox — that has lingered, often for decades, in a dormant state in the nervous system. The most common symptom is a bad rash on the torso or face that can be quite painful. In about 10% to 20% of cases, the rash is followed by postherpetic neuralgia — pain emanating from an affected nerve, which can be excruciating and last for many months. Shingles can also affect ...

Freshens breath! Gives your mouth a tingling sensation! But what do mouthwashes really accomplish?

Late in 2010, the FDA warned three mouthwash manufacturers to stop suggesting that their products that have fluoride as the main active ingredient would prevent gum disease and remove dental plaque, the sticky biofilm of bacteria and other substances that collects on teeth above and below the gumline. And several years ago, a federal judge ordered Pfizer, which owned the Listerine brand at the time, to stop an ad campaign that said the iconic mouthwash was as effective as flossing for preventing tooth and gum decay.

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Some doctors strongly advise against the use of generic drugs with the argument that manufacturing processes are better controlled in branded medicines. What is your view?