Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was hospitalized Thursday in Pittsburgh after a heart issue caused him to fall and sustain minor facial injuries, his office said in a statement.
The big picture: Fetterman, who has a history of heart problems and suffered a stroke during his 2022 campaign, fell and hit his face during an early morning walk near his Braddock home after feeling light-headed, his spokesperson said.
- "Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up," his office said.
Context: Ventricular fibrillation is considered the most dangerous heart rhythm disorder, per the American Heart Association. It can cause sudden cardiac death within minutes without treatment, per the association.
- With v-fib, disordered electrical activity stops the heart from pumping blood, leading to collapse and cardiac arrest; a defibrillator — or a shock to the heart — is often needed to restore normal rhythm.
- Fetterman had a pacemaker-defibrillator implanted after his 2022 stroke to help manage his heart condition.
- The senator is "doing well," per his office, and remains in the hospital as doctors "fine-tune his medication regimen."
What they're saying: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) both wished Fetterman a speedy recovery Thursday evening.
- "I reached out to Senator Fetterman and Dina has spoken to Gisele," McCormick said. "John is a tough Pittsburgher and is already on the mend."
Zoom out: Fetterman voted with Senate Republicans and a handful of other Democrats on Monday to reopen the federal government, then returned home after media appearances promoting his new memoir, "Unfettered."
- In the book, he describes his experiences with clinical depression after his stroke, detailing how he dismissed doctors' concerns about his heart condition prior to the stroke — and how his campaign initially understated the stroke's severity.
This story has been updated with comment from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Sen. Dave McCormick, and with further context.
