These studies demonstrated that this potency advantage translated to significantly reduced morbidity and mortality in heart disease in different patient populations.

FORBES: The Difficulties In Predicting Blockbuster Drugs

But a similar patient with a parent who had a heart attack before age 60 had a 20% risk, putting that patient at high risk for heart disease.

WSJ: Seeking Clues to Heart Risk in a Patient's Family Tree

For example, the doctor could create an asthmatic patient with chronic heart disease who is taking a handful of certain drugs and is currently experiencing anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction.

FORBES: The Perfect Patient

Doctors often gloss over a key question for assessing a person's risk for coronary heart disease, according to a new study: What is the patient's family history of cardiovascular illness?

WSJ: Seeking Clues to Heart Risk in a Patient's Family Tree

As soon as he visited his first 515-pound patient, an orangutan named Kandu with a family history of heart disease, Hergott was fascinated by the experience.

BBC: Healing the hearts of men and gorillas

But one patient had colon cancer and a number of other complex issues, including heart disease.

NEWYORKER: The Cost Conundrum

ORLANDO, FLA. - A 10, 000-patient, five-year study of Pfizer 's Lipitor released today makes an argument for putting heart disease patients on even higher doses of cholesterol-lowering drugs, but left important questions about the benefits of such intense therapy.

FORBES: More And More Lipitor?