Bill Clinton’s health struggles, explained

Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention on August 21. The former President took the stage and cracked a few jokes about his advanced age. The punchline, of course, was that he’s still younger than the Republican Presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

Bill Clinton’s appearance at the DNC was unexpected because the former President has struggled with health issues over the last few years. There were even concerns that he was dealing with a life-threatening issue after being hospitalized in 2021.

Here’s a rundown of Clinton’s issues over the years, and where he’s currently at in terms of health.

Did Bill Clinton have heart surgery?

Bill Clinton’s history of medical issues spans multiple decades. The former President had a quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2004, a mere three years after leaving the White House. Politico reported that 90% of Clinton’s arteries were obstructed before his surgery.

It was a success, and Clinton later told reporters that he would reconsider his diet. “I may have done some damage in those years when I was too careless about what I ate,” he quipped. Despite Clinton’s assertion of a healthier lifestyle, the ex-President had another surgery six months later. This time, it was to remove fluid and scar tissue from his chest cavity.

In 2010, Bill Clinton had a mesh piece known as a stent installed to treat his coronary arteries. The former President’s weight loss became a talking point in the 2010s, but he merely attributed to a positive change in diet. He told AARP that he became vegan to preserve his health as he got older.

I’ve stopped eating meat, cheese, milk, even fish. No dairy at all.

Did Bill Clinton have a blood infection?

Bill Clinton’s health went mostly undiscussed until 2021, when he was rushed to the hospital. CNN reported that the former President was suffering from a blood infection, but was stabilized after two days. His doctors issued a statement confirming his health, and revealing that he had talked on the phone with President Joe Biden during his hospital stay:

After two days of treatment, his white blood cell count is trending down and he is responding to antibiotics well.

There was some chatter online following Clinton’s appearance at the DNC. Some social media users felt that the former President sounded weak, and voiced concern over his current state. There have been no reports of health problems for the 78-year-old since his 2021 hospital stay, however.