Cheney heart problem

US VICE-PRESIDENT Dick Cheney, who has a history of heart problems, experienced an irregular heartbeat yesterday and was to be evaluated in hospital.

The condition was detected when Mr Cheney was seen by doctors for a lingering cough from a cold.

“During examination he was incidentally found to have an irregular heartbeat, which on further testing was determined to be atrial fibrillation, an abnormal rhythm involving the upper chambers of the heart,” said spokeswoman Megan Mitchell.

She said Mr Cheney would go to George Washington University Hospital for evaluation. She said that if necessary, he would receive cardioversion, a procedure that involves the delivery of an electric impulse to the heart.

About 2.8 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat.

The condition occurs when the heart’s top chambers, called the atria, get out of sync with the bottom chambers’ pumping action.