In a double blow, bald men may be at higher risk of coronary heart disease, said a study Wednesday, but only if the hair is lost at the crown. Men who bald from the front appear to carry no significant added risk for the clogged artery disease that can cause heart attacks, said a report in the online journal BMJ Open. Researchers from the University of Tokyo's Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases analysed six studies on male pattern baldness and coronary heart disease conducted between 1993 and 2008 with nearly 40,000 participants in the United States and Europe.

Scans of mummies from as long ago as 2,000 BC have revealed that ancient people also had clogged arteries, a condition blamed on modern vices like smoking, overeating and inactivity, a study said Monday. The finding, published in the Lancet medical journal, casts doubt on our understanding of the condition known as atherosclerosis that causes heart attacks and strokes.

An implant device designed by US firm Boston Scientific to prevent strokes in high risk people helps avert blood clotting, a new study said. The umbrella-shaped device called "Watchman" can also serve as an alternative to treatment with anticoagulants of patients suffering from arterial fibrillation, a study by the manufacturer said. The trials involved 407 patients at 41 sites and compared the "Watchman" to warfarin, an anticoagulant medication, said the study, which was presented on Saturday.