George W. Bush Had a Heart Operation This Morning

George W. Bush checked into a Dallas-area hospital this morning to have a stent placed in his heart, but his family says he's doing fine and will be home soon.

George W. Bush checked into a Dallas-area hospital this morning to have a stent placed in his heart, but his family says he's doing fine and will be home soon. The 67-year-old ex-president was diagnosed with a small blockage in an artery during a routine exam on Monday, so doctors decided to perform the non-surgical procedure to clear the blockage.

Bush had a relatively clean health record during his time in office, though he was famously diagnosed with a low heart rate of just 43 beats per minute. A statement from the family says his treatment went well and he should be released on Thursday to resume a normal work schedule.

Here's the full statement:

For Immediate Release
August 6, 2013

Dallas, Texas -- During President George W. Bush’s annual physical examination at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas yesterday, a blockage was discovered in an artery in his heart. At the recommendation of his doctors, President Bush agreed to have a stent placed to open the blockage. The procedure was performed successfully this morning, without complication, at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. President Bush is in high spirits, eager to return home tomorrow and resume his normal schedule on Thursday. He is grateful to the skilled medical professionals who have cared for him. He thanks his family, friends, and fellow citizens for their prayers and well wishes. And he encourages us all to get our regular check-ups.