Former President Bill Clinton was hospitalized for a urinary tract infection that developed into sepsis and spread to his bloodstream, according to his doctors Thursday evening.
“[Clinton] was admitted to the hospital for close monitoring and administered IV antibiotics and fluids. He remains at the hospital for continuous monitoring,” a joint statement from Clinton’s personal primary physicians, Dr. Alpesh Amin and Dr. Lisa Bardack said late Thursday evening in a statement.” After two days of treatment, his white blood cell count is trending down, and he is responding to antibiotics well.”
Clinton was admitted to the University of California Irvine Medical Center, according to his spokesperson Angel Ureña. The former president, Ureña, said is “on the mend” and “in good spirits.”
The former president was in California for a private event for his personal foundation and was reported to have been feeling fatigued on Tuesday. According to his office, Clinton has been admitted to the hospital after testing. His wife, Hillary Clinton, went to the foundation event on Thursday to “represent both of them.” After, the former 2016 presidential candidate went to the hospital to be with her husband and was photographed with her longtime assistant Huma Abedin making a late-night visit to the University of California Irvine Medical Center.
Clinton’s doctors said urologic infections are very common in older people, and they are easily treated, although they can quickly spread to the bloodstream. Clinton will be given intravenous antibiotics until Friday, when he will likely be switched to oral antibiotics.
Sepsis is “the body’s extreme response to an infection” and can be a “life-threatening medical emergency,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns. Around 1.7 million adults in the U.S. develop sepsis every year, and roughly 270,000 people die due to the condition.
Infections that can cause sepsis often start in the lungs, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Without treatment, it can swiftly lead to organ failure and death. People over the age of 65, those with weakened immune systems, and individuals with chronic medical conditions are more likely to develop sepsis.
Clinton had a well-documented history of heart problems and health scares since leaving the White House. The 75-years old former president underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery in Columbia Presbyterian Hospital back in 2014 after experiencing prolonged chest pains and shortness of breath. Prior to his bypass, Clinton’s doctor reported that the 42nd president was taking medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
In 2010, Clinton had another heart procedure and had two stents inserted to open one of his coronary arteries. A year later, Clinton returned to the hospital for surgery for a partially collapsed lung.
Since his two health scares, the former president embraced the vegan lifestyle that heavily contributed to his excessive weight loss. The new lifestyle also reportedly improved his overall health.
Bill ClintonHillary ClintonSepsisUrinary Tract InfectionUTI
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