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Fetterman was doing well and hospitalized in Pittsburgh, his
office said. He sustained minor injuries to his face and was
under “routine observation” at the hospital while doctors
fine-tune his medication regimen, his office said.
Ventricular fibrillation is the most serious form of abnormal
heartbeat and can lead to cardiac arrest — when the heart
suddenly stops beating — and sudden cardiac death, according to
the American Heart Association.
Ventricular fibrillation occurs in the heart’s lower chambers,
and the heart association says its causes include cardiomyopathy,
which Fetterman was diagnosed with in 2022. Cardiomyopathy can
impede blood flow and potentially cause heartbeats so irregular
they can be fatal.
Fetterman, 56, disclosed that he was diagnosed with
cardiomyopathy and another type of abnormal heartbeat, atrial
fibrillation, after he suffered a stroke on the 2022 campaign
trail.
Fetterman has said the stroke was caused by a blood clot
triggered by atrial fibrillation, or a-fib, which affects the
heart’s upper chambers.
Fetterman underwent surgery after the stroke to implant a
pacemaker with a defibrillator to manage the condition.
The lingering effects of his stroke include diminished auditory
processing speed, called auditory processing disorder, which
makes it harder to speak fluidly and quickly process spoken
conversation into meaning.
Weeks after joining the Senate in 2023, Fetterman checked
himself into the hospital for clinical depression. He was
released six weeks later and has since urged people who are
depressed to get professional help.
Post-stroke depression is common and treatable through
medication and talk therapy, doctors say.
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