Bush undergoes heart procedure
(CNN) - Former President George W. Bush, 67, underwent a procedure Tuesday morning to have a stent placed in his heart one day after a blockage was discovered in an artery, according to a statement from his office.
In the statement released by Bush's spokesman, the procedure was "performed successfully," without complication, at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.
"President Bush is in high spirits, eager to return home tomorrow and resume his normal schedule on Thursday. He is grateful to the skilled medical professionals who have cared for him," the statement read.
The blockage was found during Bush's annual physical examination at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas on Monday.
"He thanks his family, friends, and fellow citizens for their prayers and well wishes. And he encourages us all to get our regular check-ups," the statement continued.
The 43rd president was known for having relatively good health during his tenure at the White House. For exercise, he was an active runner and frequently rode his mountain bike.
According to his 2006 annual exam, his medical history at the time showed no signs of hypertension or stroke, and he had 'low' to 'very low' coronary artery disease risk profile with a favorable family medical history and absence of modifiable risk factors.
The report also stated he had "minimal/mild" coronary artery calcification, a fairly common sign of early artery disease in which the lining of aortic wall becomes inflamed and plaque starts to build up over time. Calcium deposits begin to form in the artery wall.
Bush's statement Tuesday did not release details on whether his artery blockage was related to his past medical history.
Also, the White House announced in August 2007 that Bush was treated the year prior for Lyme disease. A White House spokesman at the time told CNN that it is "not uncommon" for Bush to get tick bites during his bike rides.
Lyme disease can be transmitted through the bite of a tick that carries the disease. The problem had been resolved, with no re-occurrence and no other symptoms, the White House said six years ago.
His 2007 physical exam also reported bouts of mild vertigo, but it did not interfere with his work.
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I was hoping for better news. This isn't it.
Stent? What about his war crimes trial?
"The do gooders put a stunt in my pumper today..hehe"
Scott Cisney
I doubt anyone can answer this...but the only way to find a blockage needing a stint (or other procedures) is by doing an angegram (I probably spelled that wrong). You know, putting the wire into the femoral artery and going into the heart to determine a blockage. So, with no symptoms, on an ordinary person, they wouldn't go an angeogram
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Scott, it is possible that he was having symptoms and they just aren't making that public. In my case, I was having a physical in advance of surgery and it showed an abnormal EKG. You are correct, an angiogram was not the first test ordered, but ultimately that's what I ended up having. That one test ran over $20,000. I kind of doubt that Bush's physicians were skipping protocol, not because of the cost, but because the test itself carries some risk.
That must be a nano-stent to fit in his heart. The good news is, he'll never have to worry about brain surgery. Nothing to operate on.
Simply the Worst
I thought that the Tin Man was supposed to get the new heart..........
George W Bush will be remembered as a great president the day the right gets to rewrite history, and those of us who were here to see it are gone.
That explains it! Not enough blood pumping to the brain...
I wish him good health and a speady recovery! He needs to live a good long life in order to see how history will record him as the worst president the western world has ever seen!
To Repub Insanity:
Whose dime do you think the Democrats spend when they get healthcare? And, by the way, whose millions of dollars does the Vacationer-In-Chief Obama spend when he takes his family and friends on vacation? The Obama's trip to Africa cost the taxpayers $100 million! (By the end of this year, the Obamas will have gone on 8 vacations on ttaxpayer dollars.) $100 million would go along way helping the poor. So, maybe we should be looking at the Obamas and the way they spend our money!
I didn't vote for him but I wish him well.
G.W. Bush may be the last respectable President this country ever has the way things are going! I wish we could get him back!
Everyone does understand that regardless of your political views, he was still the leader of our country and attacking him now and wishing for his deteriorating health is not only callous, but incredibly heartless, insensitive, and ignorant, right? Furthermore, EVERY president and former president receives medical treatment, so if you have a problem with these procedures done on the "taxpayer's dime" then maybe you should petition your government officials now to ensure that EVERY former president, both Democrat and Republican, never receives "free" medical treatment. God when I read the comments section of any news clipping online I am reminded of how incredibly stupid and asinine some people are.
Too much goofing off, carousing and all that boozing has caught up with old Georgie boy.
As to one of the best president's in history! Not on your life. Never.
Barack Obama, the new and less improved George Bush.
Lots of moronic comments. Most of you lefties need to lose the hate.
Wow – CNN is really filled with haters.....If conservatives made comments like this about a left wingnut they would be called every name in the book and accused of being racist or homophobic or whatever other claim the "progressives" could think of. Too bad the rules of decorum only go one way with the left.
Well, well, well. Mister "born again", bible thumping W, needs medical science to save his sorry butt. What's a matter George, prayer didn't work for you? Don't feel bad, it doesn't work for anyone else, either.
he gets a stent and cheney gets a whole heart, go figure.
NEVER to VOTE REPUBLICAN again
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Yep and so is Obama's, Clinton's, and all other past presidents so what is your point??? Oh you probably have no point simply just hating......take off the partisan blinders!!!!!
@ OK: The new high resolution CT scanners can find some blockages, but they are useless if there is calcification; they can't see through the calcium deposits. A treadmill test might show decreased performance, and change in EKG, and the patient being tested might feel some chest pain or angina during the test. And you're right, the only way to find out for sure is to get an angiogram. I've had 3.. all were necessary to find out what was going on! In Bush's case, there are no limits on his medical care being an ex-president, and in my experience the angiograms are not all that risky.
The guy isn't in office anymore and has done nothing but stay out of the way the last 6 years. He hasn't said negative things about Obama or done anything but donate his time and money around the globe (particularly Africa) since stepping out of office. The man was having health problems. Have a little bit of class people. Just because you disagree doesn't mean you have to hate someone.
I bet he's such a "self made man" that he paid for it 100% out of his own bank account without accepting a dollar in tax money.
He had a heart?