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Dr. Oz has some advice for Bernie Sanders following heart procedure: ‘Stay active, shoot some hoops’
Following Senator Bernie Sanders’ recent cancellation of his campaign events until “further notice” after a heart procedure on Tuesday, Dr. Mehmet Oz shared some health tips on how the oldest candidate for president can get back on the campaign trail: Stay active.
LOS ANGELES - Following Senator Bernie Sanders’ recent cancellation of his campaign events until “further notice” after a heart procedure on Tuesday, Dr. Mehmet Oz shared some health tips on how the oldest candidate for president can get back on the campaign trail: Stay active.
The 78-year-old Sanders was taken to a Las Vegas hospital after he experienced chest discomfort during a campaign event Tuesday. After evaluation by medical staff, two stents were “successfully inserted,” and Sanders “is conversing and in good spirits,” according to the campaign.
In the wake of Sanders’ medical procedure, Oz went into detail on just how a stent works, explaining that the tiny device is typically added to help a compressed artery with blood flow through a patient’s heart.
“If you begin to narrow that artery and plaque develops for many reasons we’ve often talked about, one of the ways you address it is by putting a stent in,” explained Oz.
He added that a stent opens up the artery, preventing blockage so that blood flow is no longer restricted, diminishing pain and the risk of a potential heart attack.
“These heart issues become more common past the age of 50,” Oz said. “Bernie is 78, President Clinton had an operation at my hospital, when he was in his 50s, President Bush had a stent placed when he was in his 60s,” said Oz.
Dr. Mehmet Oz shared some health tips on how the oldest candidate for president can get back on the campaign trail.
Oz recalled having Sanders on his show Sept. 9, where Sanders showed off his basketball skills and the two went into detail about the candidate’s medical history.
Sanders expressed gratitude for his health on that episode and added that he couldn’t remember the last time he had missed a day of work.
Oz assured his audience that patients typically return to normal activities about a week after a procedure like Sanders’, adding that while the he will be on medication, Sanders should remain active with exercise “like shooting some hoops.”
Sanders tweeted on Wednesday that he was thankful “for all the well wishes.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.