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Former President Bill Clinton Gets Two Stents in Coronary Artery
Clinton Taken to Hospital After Feeling 'Discomfort' in His Chest
By EMILY FRIEDMAN
Feb. 11, 2010
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Former President Bill Clinton was taken to a Manhattan hospital late this afternoon and two stents were installed in one of his coronary arteries, his office said.
The former president is hospitalized for a procedure related to his heart.
The former president's counselor Douglas Band released a statement saying that Clinton, 63, is in "good spirits."
"Today President Bill Clinton was admitted to the Columbia Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital after feeling discomfort in his chest," said Band. "Following a visit to his cardiologist, he underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries."
A stent is a wire mesh tube used to prop open an artery.
"President Clinton is in good spirits and will continue to focus on the work of his Foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery efforts," Band said.
ABC News' chief political correspondent George Stephanopoulos reports that sources tell him "this is not life-threatening."
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Stephanopoulos, who once worked for Clinton in the White House, noted Clinton's non-stop work ethic and said the former president has worked "20 hours a day for the last 20 years."
Sources on Capitol Hill tell ABC News that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was seen leaving the Oval Office around the same time that Clinton had been hospitalized. Sources told ABC News that Secretary Clinton was "very concerned when told about the President, given his heart history" and that it made everyone "very nervous."
Her husband had a quadruple heart bypass in 2004.
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Secretary Clinton was scheduled to leave for an overseas trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia Friday. It wasn't immediately known whether the trip would still take place, and Secretary Clinton headed for New York this evening to be with her husband.
"If we have anything to add beyond that, we will, including any changes to her schedule in the coming days," the State Department said in a statement.
One source told ABC News, however, that Secretary Clinton is still planning to head to Middle East, but the trip may be delayed by a day. The source said that should "speak volumes" about the ex-president's condition.