Tomorrow I'm going to meet a new doctor to look at my heart.

I've got an arrhythmia problem, it feels like it's getting worst, I've got a procedure coming and I scheduled an appointment with a doctor that came highly recommended.

My appointment to meet this doctor was really scheduled for last month. After sitting in a private patient room for 30 minutes waiting, the nurse came in and said the doctor is running behind and should be here shortly. So I laid down on the thin white paper and closed my eyes.

In the midst of high gas prices, salmonella outbreaks, and a presidential election comes a health story about pediatricians recommending cholesterol drugs for 8-year-old kids.

http://empowher.com/news/heart-blood/200...

Some experts say the first line of defense for kids when battling obesity should be exercise and nutritional counseling. Others say that plan of action may not be aggressive enough. What do you think?

Anyone know of alternative options to treating atrial fibrillation? Typical drugs can affect liver and kidneys with long-term use. And what if this condition is further complicated by the existence of moderate mitral stenosis?

I'm 45 yr old female, 160 lbs, 5'1. Trying to loose weight and have chronic fatigue.

I started walking and I notice 20 mins in to my walk, I get chest pain on the upper right side of my chest. The decollete area, in between my collarbone and the beginning of my breast. The pain is sharp heavy but does not spread. It starts gradually but goes away if I rest. Is this a sign of a Heart Attack or Angina?

My friend has had some cardiac complications and atrial fibrillation for a few years. She is 77 years old and she is looking to get a second opinion about her condition.

My parents use a butter spread that claims to "actively remove cholesterol". I've noticed several types of butter/oil spreads at the grocery store, meant to replace butter or margarine, and are touted as "healthy alternatives".

However, one brand says that it is "clinically proven to actively remove cholesterol". Is this true, and to what degree? Is this butter spread actually healthy (use some every day) or is it just a healthy alternative (no trans-fat like butter).

So a 42-year-old relative of mine goes in for her six to eight hour Ventricular Tachycardia surgery today. While she is hardly a shrinking violet, this is a pretty complicated heart condition and am looking for tips to aid in her recovery. While she realizes that 'heart surgery' will become a way of life, we're all trying to find ways to help her heal faster. Has anyone undergone VT surgery before? What tips do you have to make the transition easier?