Clinton's Prognosis 'Excellent' After Heart Procedure

(Feb. 11) – Former President Bill Clinton was admitted Thursday to a New York City hospital, where he underwent a procedure to have a clogged artery unblocked. He was discharged Friday and could return to work as early as Monday, his doctor said.

The 63-year-old Clinton, who underwent quadruple bypass surgery six years ago, consulted his cardiologist after experiencing chest "discomfort" over a period of several days. He was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in upper Manhattan. Doctors placed two small stents in a coronary artery in an operation that lasted about an hour.

"He's in great spirits and on his way to a speedy recovery," said Steven Barnes, a spokesman for the Clinton Foundation.


Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was in Washington when her husband was admitted to the hospital, but quickly traveled to New York to be with him. Daughter Chelsea was also at his side.

The former president did not suffer a heart attack, his cardiologist told reporters Thursday night.

"He did not have a heart attack or any damage to his heart," said Dr. Alan Schwartz.

Clinton underwent successful quadruple bypass surgery at the same hospital in 2004. In that procedure, blocked arteries were bypassed by a blood vessel graft to restore normal blood flow to the heart.

Tests Thursday revealed that one of those bypass grafts had become completely blocked, Schwartz said. "Two stents were placed into his own artery," the doctor said. "The procedure went very smoothly."

Stents are tiny tubes, sometimes made of a meshlike material, that are inserted into blood vessels to increase blood flow. According to the American Heart Association, the use of stents is fairly commonplace in patients requiring coronary angioplasty to help open clogged arteries.


During his White House tenure, Clinton often joked about his fondness for fast food. But the doctor said the blocked graft was not caused by the president's diet or lifestyle. Bypass grafts, he said, have been known to become blocked after a number of years.

"This sort of thing is not hardening of the arteries, it's not related to anything he did," Schwartz said.

"He has really toed the line in both diet and exercise," the doctor said. "His cholesterol numbers and other risk factors have all been excellent."

The U.N. envoy to Haiti, Clinton has been helping coordinate the U.S. relief effort following the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, alongside former President George W. Bush. Douglas Band, a Clinton counselor, said the former president hoped to return to work very soon.

Schwartz said Clinton was out of bed and walking around about two hours after the procedure.

"He could be back in the office on Monday," Schwartz said. "His prognosis is excellent."

Hillary Clinton was scheduled to begin a trip to the Persian Gulf on Friday afternoon, but she postponed her departure to Saturday, aides said.