Clinton recovering after quadruple bypass surgery

BILL CLINTON is off a ventilator and recovering in hospital today after major surgery to prevent a heart attack.

The 58-year-old former US President appeared to have narrowly averted a massive coronary after tests found he had heavily clogged arteries.

His wife Hillary said the family had been on an "emotional roller coaster" in the last few days.

Mr Clinton was taken off a respirator early yesterday following the four-hour quadruple heart bypass operation at the New York Presbyterian Hospital.

"In several of the vessels, the blockage was well over 90%," said head surgeon Dr Craig Smith. "He is recovering normally at this point, so I think everything looks straightforward."

Mr Clinton should be able to leave hospital by next weekend after a few more days of monitoring and recovery. But were it not for the operation, doctors said, Mr Clinton, a lover of junk food, was headed for a heart attack.

"There was a substantial likelihood that he would have had a substantial heart attack," said Dr Allan Schwartz, chief of cardiology at the hospital.

He said the level of blockage in the arteries explained the chest pains which prompted the former President to seek hospital tests.

Hours after Mr Clinton was admitted to the New York hospital his wife and daughter, Chelsea, travelled to be by his side. "These past few days have been quite an emotional roller-coaster for us," said Mrs Clinton.

"The president's optimism and faith will carry him through the difficult weeks and months ahead of that we have no doubt."

Mr Clinton also had high blood pressure and may not have been adequately treated for high cholesterol.

He was put on a cholesterol-lowering drug a few days ago before it was known he needed an operation.

His return to full health will take weeks, meaning he will only be able to play a limited role, if any, in the presidential election bid of Senator John Kerry. Just a few weeks ago, Mr Clinton pledged to be a "foot soldier" in the campaign.

Doctors said they removed two blood vessels from Mr Clinton's chest and another from his leg and used them to replace the clogged heart arteries.