Here's an article to keep in your pocket if you're headed to an intensive care unit, as patient or visitor. Doctors who got patients up while in ICU and provided breaks in sedation found that those patients did much better after leaving ICU than patients who remained bed-ridden and sedated, especially for an extended period.

Check out two recent New York Times artices about changes in thinking on how to protect the heart, based on research indicating that most heart attacks are caused, not by large plaques that lead to blockage in arteries, but by smaller plaques that break free and, because of infammatory and coagulation factors, result in clots and/or blockage. One, "More Isn't Always Better in Coronary Care," points out drawbacks to interventional surgeries, such as angioplasty, stents, and bypass surgery, thought to be overprescribed because they don't always treat the true problems (small plaques and inflammation) that lead to cardiac death. The second article, "New Thinking on How to Protect the Heart," explains the role of inflammatory cells and examines lifestyle factors that promote heart health.