US vice president taken to hospital

US Vice President Dick Cheney, who has a history of heart trouble, was being taken to a hospital for tests today after experiencing some shortness of breath, a White House spokesman said.

“On the recommendation of his doctors, the Vice President is going to George Washington University Hospital for some tests,” spokesman Ken Lisaius said.

“He experienced some shortness of breath Saturday morning and has had a bad cold, which could be the cause for the shortness of breath.”

President George Bush was notified, he said. Mr Cheney’s cardiologist, Dr Jonathan Reiner, was to oversee the tests.

Mr Cheney, 63, has had four heart attacks, although none as Vice President. He kept up a heavy travel schedule during the recent presidential election campaign.

Mr Lisaius said Mr Cheney is taking every precaution “as anyone with history should do” and is having himself checked out. It was unclear whether the Vice President would be admitted to the hospital, or would be there only for tests.

In June 2001, he had a pacemaker implanted. At his annual heart check-up on May 11, doctors determined that the pacemaker, called an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, was working fine and never had had to assist his heart.

The device is designed to activate automatically if needed to regulate the patient’s heartbeat.

Ahead of the presidential campaign, Mr Cheney dismissed speculation that his health might keep him from running again with Mr Bush. He said his health had been good and that he could not think of any circumstances that would prompt to decline the role.

“He’s asked me to serve again and I’ll be happy to do that,” Mr Cheney said in March.

His first heart attack occurred in 1978, when he was 37. He had a second in 1984, and after suffering his third heart attack, in 1988, Mr Cheney had quadruple bypass surgery to clear clogged arteries.

On November 22, 2000, he suffered what doctors called a ”very slight” heart attack and had an angioplasty to open a clogged artery.

Mr Cheney was back in the hospital on March 5, 2001, after complaining of chest pains. Doctors performed another angioplasty to reopen the same artery.

After his fourth heart attack, Mr Cheney quit smoking, began regular daily exercises for 30 minutes on a treadmill and said he began watching his diet. He takes medication to lower his cholesterol.