Peter F. Cohn, MD, Editor-in-Chief

In an era when high-tech procedures are becoming increasingly common in cardiology, it's refreshing to see continued interest in one of the lowest-tech diagnostic/prognostic procedures currently available: the 6-minute walk test.

The increasing prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the elderly, especially compared with younger age groups, is striking (8% in persons > 80 years compared with 1% in those < 60 years).

Congestive heart failure does not necessarily "go away" in the elderly.

The use of statins to treat hyperlipidemia is well established.

Two trends have collided in the last 10-20 years: 1) there is no question that both the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus are on the increase; 2) conversely, the morbidity and mortality associated with acute coronary syndromes— especially myocardial infarction (MI)—are definitely declining.

What is glycemic load and why is it important?