December 11, 1999
Web posted at: 2:39 p.m. EST (1939 GMT)

PALO ALTO, California (CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley told reporters Saturday that his heart condition is "just a nuisance" and that it won't affect his ability to continue campaigning.

"I'm feeling great," Bradley said. "No problem. This is just a nuisance, quite frankly."

Bradley's news conference in California was his first public appearance since being sidelined by an irregular heartbeat Friday.

The former U.S. senator said he works out two or three times a week on a stair-climbing machine to keep fit. Aides said Bradley is not on a special diet, but controls his heart condition with medication.

Bradley said he does not expect his health to alter his campaign schedule.

"Campaigning is invigorating to me, always has been, always will (be)," he said. "Quite frankly, the two years that I was out of the Senate I had an even more hectic life than during the campaign. I had seven jobs on two coasts."

In Atlanta on Saturday, Vice President Al Gore wished his rival "continued good health" and said, "I hope to see him back on the campaign trail imminently."

Bradley is expected to address the Florida State Democratic Convention on Sunday in Orlando, aides said. His Saturday schedule was not reinstated.

Bradley canceled scheduled stops Friday in California and Seattle after complaining of an irregular heartbeat. He was comfortable and in good spirits after being released from the hospital about 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), his spokesman, Eric Hauser, said.

"It corrected itself, and there was no treatment necessary," Hauser said.

Bradley began experiencing symptoms of atrial fibrillation -- an irregular heart rhythm -- Thursday night, aides said.

"By the time he arrived at the hospital at 3:30 (Friday), he converted to a normal rhythm, and therefore no therapeutic interventions were necessary," said Edward Anderson, one of the doctors who examined the candidate.

The condition causes heart chambers to quiver. In some cases, atrial fibrillation can lead to a stroke. About 2 million Americans have the condition, which Bradley was diagnosed with in 1996.

The former senator's heart irregularity should not affect his campaign, Hauser said.

"He's had this condition for a few years, but he's in great physical shape. The doctors say it won't affect his functioning at all," he said.

The last time the problem occurred was about a month ago, and "it, too, was self-correcting," Hauser added.

The 56-year-old former professional basketball player has no known history of major health problems.

No special observation required, aides say

Aides said Bradley had been prepared to undergo a "fairly routine" procedure known as cardioversion.

Cardioversion requires use of a low-voltage defibrillator while the patient is under general anesthesia, according to Bradley aides.

Aides also said Bradley did not require any special observation, hospitalization or additional medication.

Bradley has been taking the prescription drug Procanbid for the condition since 1998, according to medical records released by the campaign.

Procanbid is the trade name for procainamide, an anti- arrhythmic agent.

Campaign releases letter from physician

The Bradley campaign released results of a regular physical examination that he underwent on December 3. It included a letter from his physician, Dr. Robert Heissenbuttel of Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.

The letter said Bradley's 1996 diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, one type of an irregular heart rhythm, indicated "no precipitating cause nor any cardiac disease identified."

It also said Bradley had experienced "episodes" of irregular heartbeat four times over the next two years and had undergone two cardioversions in 1998.

"Since May of 1998 after your third and last cardioversion," the letter said, "you have been treated with Procanbid."

Since then, the letter said, "You have had two brief episodes of atrial fibrillation, which converted spontaneously. The medication has been effective in preventing or shortening the duration of the episodes and has been well tolerated with no side effects."

Washington Bureau Chief Frank Sesno contributed to this report.

Friday, December 10, 1999

• Aides say Bradley won't need procedure for irregular heartbeat
• A fractured right eases pressure on candidates
• Clinton lauds Gore at lucrative DNC dinner
• CNN/Time poll: McCain, Bush in tight races
• After swearing-in, Moseley-Braun heads for New Zealand
• CNN In-depth special: Panama Canal handover
• Nuclear physicist Wen Ho Lee charged with 59 counts in Los Alamos case
• Election 2000 briefs
• Mayor's race is cast as a battle for San Francisco's soul
• First he shaved mustache, now Toiv leaving White House
• Gore rips Bradley for 'personal invective'
• Foreshadowing debate, Forbes blasts Bush on taxes
• Bush criticizes Gore on trade during New Hampshire campaigning
• Bradley acknowledges he is little known in California
• Bradley urges black church members to join his campaign in pursuing racial unity
• Clinton sets big goals for presidential library
• Lawyer says Lewinsky probably will be pretrial witness
• Fordices file for divorce in wake of affair
• Mrs. Clinton roils the waters on gay issues
• National Democrats hope to raise enough millions to help nominee
• Hawaii Supreme Court stops effort to legalize gay marriage

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