The number of Americans suffering from atrial fibrillation is soaring and the treatment varies from medication to a variety of surgical procedures. We’ll discuss the latest options.    A new study shows that if you want to lower your blood pressure, walking is good, but fast walking is better.    Your triglyceride level helps a doctor predict the risk of heart disease. And this week two big studies indicated there may be a much better way of measuring triglycerides than the one they have been using.

“Heart therapy strains efforts to limit costs.? The New York Times, July 7, 2007http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/07/health/07heart.html?ex=1185336000&en=d636fe3ce0c28ce3&ei=5070  Fast walking is better for improving systolic blood pressure in older adults. www.medpagetoday.com, posted July 12, 2007http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/ExerciseFitness/tb/6145  “Blood triglycerides seen as heart attack predictor.? Reuters, July 17, 2007http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyid=2007-07-17T215724Z_01_N17274797_RTRUKOC_0_US-HEART-TRIGLYCERIDES.xml  “Nonfasting Triglycerides and Risk of Myocardial Infarction, Ischemic Heart Disease, and Death in Men and Women.? Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 298 No. 3, July 18, 2007http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/298/3/299  “Fasting Compared With Nonfasting Triglycerides and Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Women.? Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 298 No. 3, July 18, 2007http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/298/3/309?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=fasting+compared+with+nonfasting+triglycerides+and+risk&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT