Doctors for John Fetterman Rule out New Stroke After Pennsylvania Senator Hospitalized

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) when he was ceremonially sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris for the 118th Congress in the Old Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 3, 2023. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Doctors treating Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who suffered a stroke on the campaign trail last year, have ruled out a new stroke, according to his office.

“About an hour ago Sen. Fetterman received the results of his MRI. According to John’s doctors at The George Washington University Hospital, the results of the MRI, along with the results of all of the other tests the doctors ran, rule out a new stroke,” Fetterman’s Communications Director Joe Calvello said in a statement on Feb. 9.

Calvello added that Fetterman, 53, “is being monitored with an EEG for signs of seizure - so far there are no signs of seizure, but he is still being monitored.”

Fetterman was hospitalized on Wednesday night after he “began feeling lightheaded” during a Senate Democratic retreat in Washington, D.C., according to his office.

Calvello previously said that the Democrat left the retreat and called his staff, who then picked him up and transported him to George Washington University Hospital.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) attends his first Senate hearing in the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in Washington, on Feb. 1, 2023. Office of John Fetterman

No Evidence of New Stroke

“Initial tests did not show evidence of a new stroke, but doctors are running more tests and John is remaining overnight for observation. He is in good spirits and talking with his staff and family,” his office said.

Fetterman had a stroke while on the campaign trail in May, just days before the Democratic primary, prompting concerns over his health and whether or not he was fit for office.

At the time, Fetterman’s cardiologist said the stroke was caused by a clot from his heart being in an atrial fibrillation rhythm for too long. According to his cardiologist, the senator suffers from both atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathy.

Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and typically faster-than-normal heart rate.

Cardiomyopathy generally refers to diseases of the heart muscle, in which the walls of heart chambers can become stiff, enlarged, or thickened, making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.

Cardiomyopathy typically gets worse over time and can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations, or in severe cases, heart failure.

At the time of Fetterman’s stroke, his cardiologist Dr. Ramesh Chandra told CNN that he had first seen the Democrat in 2017 after he reported having swollen feet and the doctor had diagnosed him with atrial fibrillation, as well as a decreased heart pump.

(Left) Republican Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz hosts a safer streets community discussion at Galdos Catering and Entertainment in Philadelphia on Oct. 13, 2022. (Mark Makela/Getty Images); (Right) Pennsylvania's Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman speaks to supporters gathered in Dickinson Square Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 23, 2022. Kriston Jae Bethel/AFP via Getty Images

Fetterman’s Health Under Scrutiny

However, despite the doctor asking him to attend regular follow-ups, Fetterman did not see “any doctor for five years and did not continue to take his medications,” according to the cardiologist.

“The prognosis I can give for John’s heart is this: If he takes his medications, eats healthy, and exercises, he’ll be fine,” Chandra said at the time. “If he does what I’ve told him, and I do believe that he is taking his recovery and his health very seriously this time, he should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem.”

Despite the reassurances, Fetterman’s health continued to come under scrutiny as he spent much of his months leading up to the November midterm elections in recovery.

Further concerns were raised when he displayed a noticeably changed speech pattern and appeared to struggle to speak during a debate with Republican challenger Dr. Mehmet Oz, during which he needed to use closed-captioning technology.

At the time, Fetterman blamed his delayed speech on errors with the closed-captioning technology.

He ultimately went on to win the open Senate seat in Pennsylvania in November.

In his victory speech in November, Fetterman said that his campaign was about “fighting for everyone who’s ever been knocked down that ever got back up,” seemingly referencing his stroke.