Bill Clinton would ‘have had a heart attack at some point’ without surgery
By ANIFriday, February 12, 2010
NEW YORK - Former US President Bill Clinton would ‘have had a heart attack at some point’ without surgery, a source at the New York-Presbyterian Columbia Hospital said.
Clinton, who was hospitalised on Thursday after complaining of chest pain, was found to be serious after an electrocardiogram revealed that a region of his heart was not getting the blood it needed.
He had undergone a quadruple bypass surgery in the hospital six years ago, and now, one of those bypass channels was totally blocked again.
When asked what would have happened if Clinton had ignored his symptoms, the source said: “He would have had a heart attack at some point.”
Within 90 minutes of walking into the hospital, the former President had two new stents in his heart, and by 2 p.m. the 63-year-old had dodged another scare.
It is unclear if stress from his recent trips to Haiti may have contributed to the heart problem, but heart surgeons say he is lucky he was not in Haiti on Thursday.
According to reports, the procedure went perfectly, and Clinton is expected to be resting at his Chappaqua home as soon as today.
“The goal of the treatment is for President Clinton to resume his very active lifestyle, and I think it will be achieved,” The New York Daily News quoted Dr. Allan Schwartz, Clinton’s cardiologist, as saying.
Schwartz said Clinton did not have a heart attack, suffered no damage to his heart and faces an “excellent” prognosis. (ANI)
