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Bill Clinton has heart procedure Bill Clinton has heart procedure
(about 3 hours later)
Former US President Bill Clinton has undergone a heart procedure in New York City after complaining of discomfort in his chest, a spokesman has said. Former US President Bill Clinton is "in good spirits" after undergoing a heart procedure at a hospital in New York City, his doctor has said.
The 63-year-old had two stents - wire-mesh tubes that help the flow of blood - placed in a coronary artery at Columbia Presbyterian hospital. Cardiologist Dr Allan Schwartz said the insertion of two devices known as stents in an artery had gone smoothly.
His counsellor, Douglas Band, said in a statement that he was in good spirits. The 63-year-old had not had a heart attack and was likely to be discharged on Friday, Dr Schwartz added.
Mr Clinton had quadruple-bypass surgery in September 2004 after experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. Mr Clinton's wife Hillary, the US Secretary of State, and their daughter Chelsea have joined him at his bedside.
President Clinton will continue to focus on the work of his Foundation and Haiti's relief Douglas BandCounsellor to Bill Clinton class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8511893.stm">Profile: Bill Clinton The state department has said she will still travel to Qatar and Saudi Arabia on the weekend as planned, although her flight will leave later to allow her to spend more time in New York.
His wife, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, headed to New York from Washington to be with him. 'Good spirits'
The state department said she would still be travelling to Qatar and then Saudi Arabia on the weekend as planned, although her flight will leave later to allow her to spend more time in New York. The stents - wire-mesh tubes that help the flow of blood - were placed in a coronary artery that had become blocked since Mr Clinton had a quadruple-bypass operation in 2004.
Their daughter, Chelsea, is already with Mr Clinton at the hospital. [Mr Clinton] said the efforts in Haiti were too important for him to be laid up for too long White House statement class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8511893.stm">Profile: Bill Clinton
Mr Band said: "Today President Bill Clinton was admitted to the Columbia Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital after feeling discomfort in his chest. Speaking to media outside the Columbia Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital on Thursday evening, Dr Schwartz said the former president had been feeling discomfort in his chest for several days.
"Following a visit to his cardiologist, he underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries. President Clinton is in good spirits." "Of the four bypass grafts that he had six years ago, one of the bypass grafts was completely blocked," the cardiologist said.
Bill Clinton served two terms as US president, from 1993 to 2001 "The artery that had been supplied previously by this bypass graft was opened by placing the two stents."
Mr Clinton served two terms as president, during which he became known for his love of fast food and jogging. He added: "President Clinton has since been up and walking around and visiting with his family. He is in good spirits."
There was a large media presence outside the hospital
The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Washington says it is being stressed that Mr Clinton's diet and active lifestyle were not triggers for this scare.
The former Arkansas governor became known for his love of fast food and jogging during his two terms as president.
He later set up the William J Clinton Foundation to promote and address international humanitarian causes such as treatment and prevention of HIV/Aids and global warming.He later set up the William J Clinton Foundation to promote and address international humanitarian causes such as treatment and prevention of HIV/Aids and global warming.
Last year, he was appointed UN special envoy to Haiti, and has been working in recent weeks to help the relief effort in the wake of the devastating earthquake there on 12 January. Last year, he was appointed UN special envoy to Haiti, where he has been working in recent weeks to help the relief effort in the wake of the devastating earthquake there on 12 January.
Mr Band said that after recovering, the former president would "continue to focus on the work of his foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery efforts". 'Absolutely great'
A friend of Mr Clinton's told ABC News that he had been suffering from a cold and had been worn out from a trip to Haiti last week. The White House said Mr Clinton had told President Barack Obama he felt "absolutely great" after the procedure.
"[Mr Clinton] said that the efforts in Haiti were too important for him to be laid up for too long and hopes he'll be ready to get back to work as soon as possible," the White House said in a statement.
BILL CLINTON Born on 19 August 1946 in Hope, ArkansasElected Democratic governor of Arkansas in 1978Becomes US president in 1993, defeating George Bush SrRe-elected president in 1996, beating Bob DoleCleared of all charges in his impeachment trial over Monica Lewinsky sex scandal in 1999Launches William J Clinton Foundation after stepping down as president in 2001Appointed UN special envoy to Haiti in 2009BILL CLINTON Born on 19 August 1946 in Hope, ArkansasElected Democratic governor of Arkansas in 1978Becomes US president in 1993, defeating George Bush SrRe-elected president in 1996, beating Bob DoleCleared of all charges in his impeachment trial over Monica Lewinsky sex scandal in 1999Launches William J Clinton Foundation after stepping down as president in 2001Appointed UN special envoy to Haiti in 2009
Stents are tiny wire-mesh tubes used to keep an artery open after it is unclogged in an angioplasty procedure. A friend of Mr Clinton told ABC News that he had been suffering from a cold and had been worn out from a trip to Haiti last week.
Stents are used to keep an artery open after it is unclogged in the angioplasty.
Doctors thread a tube through a blood vessel in the groin to a blocked artery, inflate a balloon to flatten the clog, and slide the stent into place.Doctors thread a tube through a blood vessel in the groin to a blocked artery, inflate a balloon to flatten the clog, and slide the stent into place.
Dr Clyde Yancy, the president of the American Heart Association, said it was "not unexpected" that Mr Clinton needed two new stents. One of the most common medical procedures worldwide, more than a million angioplasties are carried out in the US alone each year.
Dr Clyde Yancy, the president of the American Heart Association, said it was "not unexpected" that Mr Clinton needed new stents.
Patients often required another procedure five to 10 years after a bypass or angioplasty because new clogs tended to develop, he said.Patients often required another procedure five to 10 years after a bypass or angioplasty because new clogs tended to develop, he said.
"This kind of disease is progressive. It's not a one-time event, so it really points out the need for constant surveillance," Dr Yancy told the Associated Press."This kind of disease is progressive. It's not a one-time event, so it really points out the need for constant surveillance," Dr Yancy told the Associated Press.