By Alexis Simendinger, Real Clear Politics–
Physicians who have examined Hillary Clinton and running mate Time Kaine pronounced their patients healthy in letters released by the campaign Wednesday night.
The medical summaries are not comprehensive medical reports for either of the two Democratic candidates, but are intended to resolve lingering public questions about Clinton’s Friday diagnosis of pneumonia, revealed Sunday after she became ill and unsteady during a 9/11 memorial event in Manhattan.
Eager to put the health episode behind her and to assail Donald Trump as a closed book who refuses to disclose an independent medical evaluation, his tax filings, and his corporate backers, Clinton decided to put out a minimal amount of new medical data about herself.
Trump discussed his health during a taping Wednesday of “The Dr. Oz Show,” which will air Thursday. The Republican nominee, who is 70, said he recently underwent a physical examination administered by his regular doctor, and pledged to release more medical information “this week” – a promise amended Wednesday by his campaign to “soon.”
Clinton’s medical summary, written by her internist, Dr. Lisa Bardack, said the nominee “continues to remain healthy and fit to serve as president of the United States,” and “has not developed new medical conditions this year,” with the exceptions of sinus and ear infections diagnosed in January, and pneumonia contracted this month.
The letter, described by the campaign as an “update” to a July 2015 letter written by Bardack, described the candidate’s “healthy” overall condition, including her “excellent mental condition.” It described normal test results, vital signs, mammography, blood analysis, as well as medications prescribed for ongoing allergies and hypothyroidism.
Because Clinton suffered a serious concussion and subsequent blood clot between her brain and her skull in 2012-13, Bardack thoroughly investigated Clinton’s complaints this year of pain in her left ear. The condition, which sent the candidate to her doctor in January, occurred during the lead-up to the Iowa Democratic caucuses, which Clinton narrowly won on Feb. 1. Although Clinton’s discomfort was not publicly known at the time, medical professionals inserted a tube in her left ear in January to relieve symptoms of infection and fluid in her ear.
In March, she underwent another CT scan of her brain and sinuses, which indicated “no abnormalities of her brain and mild chronic sinusitis.”
Bardack added new details to a brief statement she released Sunday describing Clinton’s lung infection, which the doctor said was diagnosed as “a mild non-contagious bacterial pneumonia,” confirmed using a CT scan of Clinton’s chest without the use of contrast dye, along with another physical examination Sept. 9.
Bardack’s letter said Clinton developed a fever, congestion and fatigue at the end of August or the beginning of September, for which she sought help from her doctor on Sept. 2. Clinton developed a cough and her congestion worsened.
The former secretary of state was prescribed the antibiotic Levaquin for 10 days and was advised to rest and rehydrate before she was videotaped wobbling on rubbery legs into a van with help from her security detail on Sunday.
“Mrs. Clinton has since been evaluated by me several times and continues to improve,” Bardack wrote.
The doctor’s letter briefly described Clinton’s ongoing medical supervision for daily doses of Coumadin, a common blood thinner the 68-year-old patient takes as a result of her history of blood clots and her lifetime risk of developing them again, especially as a frequent airplane traveler.
The presidential candidate works on continual basis with medical professionals, including Bardack, to maintain the optimal level of anticoagulation, which involves regular blood draws, dietary restrictions and adjustments to dosage, as necessary. Patients who take Coumadin have to use care not to cut or bruise themselves, and the medication may be adjusted before certain tests, surgical procedures and dental work.
“After consultation with her hematologist, it was decided again not to change her anticoagulation to a newer
Clinton was described as “up to date” on immunizations such as Pneumovax, a vaccine given to the elderly and infants to prevent a range of infections, such as some strains of pneumonia, as well as Prevnar, a single injection given to adults to help prevent pneumococcal pneumonia and Streptococcus pneumonia. Bardack did not indicate when Clinton received the injections.
Bardack’s six-paragraph letter made no mention of Clinton’s weight or physical exercise routine. It made only one passing reference to the nominee’s family history of heart disease, noting that the recent scan of Clinton’s lungs also followed up on a “cardiac risk stratification from 2010,” a test often performed to assess patients’ potential risk of heart attack, often conducted before a surgical procedure.
Clinton plans to resume her campaign schedule Thursday with a rally in Greensboro, N.C., and she is to speak Thursday and Friday at events in Washington, D.C.
The eight-paragraph medical letter that outlined Kaine’s health and family medical history described a 58-year-old senator with few medical complaints, no chronic health conditions and “overall excellent health.” Written by Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician for Congress, the letter summarized results of a physical exam and tests conducted in February. Kaine has a family history of breast and prostate cancer.
Monahan said Kaine weighed 207 pounds, worked out regularly, had normal EKG and other cardiac test results, and at the time of the exam took no medications and had normal blood pressure, cholesterol, PSA, blood glucose, and other gauges of his wellness. The doctor recommended the senator increase his vitamin D intake.
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