/ Source: The Associated Press
Below is a summary of Vice President Dick Cheney’s medical problems:
- 1978: Cheney’s first heart attack, at age 37. He quit smoking that year.
- 1984: His second heart attack.
- 1988: After suffering his third heart attack, Cheney had quadruple bypass surgery in August to clear clogged arteries.
- 2000: Cheney suffered what doctors called a “very slight” heart attack, his fourth, and underwent an angioplasty to open a clogged artery. Cheney began a daily 30-minute regimen on the treadmill and began eating healthier. He also began taking medication to lower his cholesterol.
- March 5, 2001: Just over 100 days later, Cheney felt chest pains and underwent another angioplasty to reopen the same artery.
- June 30, 2001: Cheney returned to the hospital and had a special pacemaker called an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, inserted into his chest. During his 2004 annual checkup, doctors said the device had never automatically activated to regulate, which they said meant the heart was functioning normally.
- Nov. 13, 2004: Cheney entered the hospital after complaining of shortness of breath. He left after three hours. An aide said tests found no abnormalities.
- Sept. 24, 2005: He underwent surgery to repair an arterial aneurysm on the back of each knee.
- Jan. 9, 2006: Cheney is taken to a Washington hospital experiencing shortness of breath attributed to fluid retention as a result of medication for a foot problem. He is placed on a diuretic and released after a few hours.