Cheney: Heart monitor 'working pretty good'

Vice President Cheney arrives for work Monday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that a new device meant to monitor his heartbeat is "working pretty good" and joked that it "hasn't gone off yet."

In an interview with WWVA radio in Wheeling, West Virginia, the vice president, who returned to work Monday morning two days after being fitted with the implanted cardioverter defibrillator, said he felt fine.

"I'm sitting here at my desk, working away," said Cheney, who has a history of heart trouble. "Everything's fine."

He described the ICD as a "standby device" that will monitor his heart rhythm.

VIDEO Vice President Dick Cheney says he's feeling good, but his shoulder is tender (July 2) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Rea Blakey introduces a man who has the same type of implanted heart device the vice president received (July 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES Chronology of Cheney's heart problems     EXTRA INFORMATION Constitutional procedure if the vice president steps down     RESOURCES Web MD.com:Dick Cheney in high-risk heart category   Web MD.com:Coronary artery disease   How an ICD works

"If you get an irregular heart rhythm, then it will kick in and restore the heart to its normal rhythm," he told the radio station.

Cheney, who was promoting the administration's energy plan in the interview, was fitted with the device Saturday. Hours after the procedure, he was able to walk out of the hospital. He spent Sunday relaxing at his home with his family.

Cheney, a former congressman, defense secretary and White House chief of staff, has suffered four heart attacks since 1978. The most recent was after last November's election. He underwent angioplasty treatment to open a clogged artery in March.

Cheney, 60, started the day early, arriving at the White House at 7:45 a.m. to meet with President Bush to talk about national security issues. Cheney's interview with WWVA was one of three talk radio interviews that were scheduled for the day.

During a White House meeting with Bush and Bret Schundler, the GOP candidate for governor of New Jersey, Cheney smiled and said his left shoulder felt "a little tender," but said overall, he felt, "very good." The device was implanted under Cheney's skin above his heart.

Bush joked to reporters, "We were thinking about doing some jumping jacks before you came in."

Earlier, Bush said Cheney "looks great" and said he was not worried about his vice president's health.

"He's active, and we're all thrilled to see how good he looked this morning," Bush said.

Dr. Douglas Zipes, president of the American College of Cardiology and co-editor of a textbook on the procedure, said the device should prevent unforeseen problems, and the vice president could resume a normal schedule.

In a Monday morning interview with CNN, Zipes said the ICD sends impulses to either slow or speed up the pace of the heart. The device could also deliver a shock if Cheney were to go into a potentially deadly arrhythmia.

"My patients describe it as anywhere between a giant hiccup or a mule kick in the chest," Zipes said.

Still, Zipes said Cheney may never even notice the ICD. "That's the beauty of these devices; they're self contained," Zipes said. "The patient should forget about them and live their normal life."

Over the weekend, Bush expressed confidence in Cheney and his health. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle did the same Sunday.

Asked on ABC's This Week whether he had any concerns about Cheney's ability to serve out his term, Daschle said he did not.

"None whatsoever," he said. "I think the doctor laid it out very clearly. Obviously this has been a matter that the vice president's had to contend with for many years. He's done it successfully, and I have every expectation he'll continue to do so."