Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has been admitted to a hospital for treatment of a blood infection. A Clinton representative said he is expected to fully recover and will be released soon.
Clinton spokesperson, Angel Ureña, said Thursday that Clinton was admitted to the UCI Medical Center on Tuesday after doctors found that he had sepsis, a type of infection in the blood caused by an extreme immune system. While the condition is oftentimes life-threatening and considered a medical emergency, patients do recover if the condition is detected early.
Ureña said Clinton's condition is improving and he is "in good spirits." She added that doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital are providing him with excellent care.
Dr. Imran Ali, a physician fellow at Mt. Sinai Health, said Clinton initially came for a checkup after experiencing sudden fatigue at a private event in California. After they ran his blood work, they discovered that he had sepsis. Doctors think Clinton's sepsis may have originated from a urinary tract infection, which then spread to his blood.
Ali said Clinton is now being treated with IV antibiotics. He added that sepsis is particularly dangerous for older adults and those with a history of heart disease - factors that are present in Clinton's case. Ali said they are closely monitoring Clinton's health but they have no reason to believe that the infection has affected his heart.
The 75-year-old politician has a number of existing health issues, mostly related to his heart. In 2004, Clinton underwent quadruple bypass surgery. A few years later, he had two coronary stents placed in his health. In 2005, he also had surgery for a collapsed lung.
Clinton's doctors at UCI Medical Center in Orange, California said Clinton was advised to be admitted so that they can more closely monitor his condition and his treatment. Doctors said Clinton's white blood cell count is slowly becoming normal and he is responding to antibiotic treatments well.
"The California-based medical team has been in constant communication with the President's New York-based medical team, including his cardiologist. We hope to have him go home soon," doctors said.
Clinton served as the president of the U.S. from January 1993 to January 2001. Before he became president, he served as the governor of Arkansas. During his second term as president, Clinton faced public scrutiny over his affair with his intern, Monica Lewinsky. The scandal eventually led to an impeachment trial in 1998. He was later acquitted by the Senate and was allowed to remain in office.
