Vice President Dick Cheney was discovered to have an irregular hearbeat today, and is being taken to to George Washington University Hospital for further evaluation.
Cheney has a history of hear problems and this latest problem was discovered during an examination for a lingering cough brought leftover from a cold.
“During examination he was incidentally found to have an irregular heartbeat, which on further testing was determined to be atrial fibrillation, an abnormal rhythm involving the upper chambers of the heart,” said spokeswoman Megan Mitchell.
If necessary, the Vice President would receive a cardioversion, a procedure that involves the delivery of an electric impulse to the heart.
About 2.8 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat, and cases are increasing the population ages.
-Chris Jones
