Cheney visits hospital with heart trouble
Wednesday, 15 Oct 2008 19:18
Vice president Dick Cheney admitted to hospital
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US vice president Dick Cheney has been admitted to hospital with an abnormal heartbeat, the second time he has experienced heart problems in a year.
According to reports, Mr Cheney attended George Washington University Hospital for a procedure to restore normal rhythm after seeing a White House doctor.
Mr Cheney had to miss a campaign event to get the outpatient procedure for the recurring condition.
"During a visit with his doctors this morning, it was discovered that the vice president is experiencing a recurrence of atrial fibrillation, an abnormal rhythm involving the upper chambers of the heart," Mr Cheney's press secretary said in a statement.
Mr Cheney, 67, has a history of heart trouble. The vice president had to visit the same hospital last November for the procedure, which is administered as an electric shock.
He has also had four heart attacks, quadruple-bypass surgery, two artery-clearing procedures and an operation to implant a defibrillator, in 2001.