Cardiology expert say there is one measure of heart function Bernie hasn't released but could.

[pnwmom]

I wonder why. Any wild guesses why this was left out of his doctor's letters?

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/cardiology-director-says-there-s-one-heart-measure-sanders-could-n1141736

But by releasing one simple indicator of his heart health, Sanders could address some lingering questions, Richard Kovacs, president of the American College of Cardiology, or ACC, told NBC News.

Following Sanders' heart attack, doctors inserted two stents in an artery and he was hospitalized for several days. After promising to release "comprehensive" records after the procedure, his campaign balked, saying no more information would be forthcoming.

SNIP

The indicator, called the left ventricular ejection fraction, is provided to any patient after a heart attack, Kovacs said. It's a measure of how much blood volume the heart pushes out with an individual heartbeat, and it correlates with the risk for future cardiac events and mortality rate.

"Normally the heart will push out 60 percent," Kovacs said. "If you go down to 40 or 50 percent, we regard that as mild impairment of the left ventricle. Thirty to 40 percent would be moderate. If you get to 30 percent, that would be severe."

[NurseJackie]

1. They are afraid. They are hiding the truth.

[Moderateguy]

2. I would say it is probably on the low end of the normal scale-high 40's

He wouldn't be able to keep up his schedule even with 30% EF (ejection fraction), let alone anything lower

[relayerbob]

5. That's incorrect

Mine is 15-18% after a heart attack, a stent thrombosis and a lot of damage due to some really shitty doctoring now with far better ones). I do almost everything most other people do, although I do get tired easily. If he was at 25%, and doing the right things (which I now do), he could easily do that. But, it's risky

[trueblue2007]

22. 3 years ago i was at 25%. I have congestive heart failure & have to take medicine

for rest of my life
lno salt diet and stress free. just my own opinion as having heart failure ,,,, i don't think he can handle being president. i don't think his heart can handle the job.

i am tired so much of time. nothing like i was before my incident. i am depressed also.

[NurseJackie]

25. It's a HIGH STRESS job with LONG HOURS and ODD HOURS...

... lots of travel, jet-lag, irregular sleep and eating patterns. I'm afraid that he LACKS THE STAMINA needed for the job.

We've seen how the responsibilities and duties of being POTUS have added TWENTY YEARS to other much younger (and much HEALTHIER men and much more VIGOROUS men).

Do the math... add 20 to Bernie's current age (78?) and there's really not much wiggle-room for him.

[OnDoutside]

32. I suppose he COULD say no President would play golf less than him ?

[True Blue American]

27. After talking with 2 friends

And their families it is clear how devastating it is. I had no idea how much you were affected. One had 2 more, he lived but was greatly affected in his ability. The other one has lost his balance due to lack of oxygen to his nerves.

No one stand the rigors of the Presidency. Look at Trump and he does little but pose,tweet and posture. It was clear yesterday he was having trouble walking and rushing so he could sit down

[Moderateguy]

33. Wishing you the very best! I know it's tough but hang in there

[womanofthehills]

3. So, all the old white men have stents - why just pick on Bernie?

Bloomberg has 2 and Biden has 2 in his brain. Both Bloomberg and Biden also have irregular heartbeats that they take blood thinners for.

Trump probably had stents put in when he had his suprise "checkup."

[relayerbob]

6. That's the point of asking about LVEF.

The existence of stents doesn't really mean much. The LVEF tells you the real condition of his heart

[W_HAMILTON]

9. Because he just had a heart attack within the past few months.

[pnwmom]

10. Bernie's the only one who had a heart attack. And he promised to release his full records

and then mysteriously changed his mind.

[LizBeth]

24. Further, Sanders stated it was the right thing to do (release records) before the first vote.

[Moderateguy]

13. Where would Trump have stents put in?

Don't you have to have a heart for stents to be put in?

[Orrex]

20. All presidential candidates should fully disclose their medical history

Mental and physiological fitness are bona fide qualifications for the office, and anyone who presumes to lead the nation should be able to demonstrate fitness for the office at any time.

Sanders' refusal to release his medical records--after saying that he would do so--is equivalent to him standing up at the next debate and shouting "I have something to hide!"

Even if he has nothing to hide, he gains nothing by withholding the documentation that would prove it.

His supporters will claim that his refusal shows him to be strong and resolute, but a great many others sees it as a coverup.

Do Sanders' supporters want him to ignore that quite reasonable perception? Or do they want him to defuse it?

[highplainsdem]

4. Heart failure.

[George II]

7. Statistics: 45% of all men 78-years old who have a heart attack will have another within a year.....

That's October, folks, a month before the election.

[Capt. America]

8. He better pick one hell of a VP....just saying. 78 years old is too old. Sorry.

[Liberty Belle]

11. He should pick Warren as VP; in worst case if he collapsed before election,

Pretty much everyone who backed Bernie would still support Warren so it would not be the chaos we had after RFK was assassinated after winning the CA primary.

Warren might even pull in some votes that Sanders would not.

And if he became incapacitated after the election, Warren could be counted on to fight for most of the same policies that Sanders would, only in a more pragmatic way and likely higher chance of success.

Warren is likely the better candidate in many ways, but Sanders does have the huge army of followers so a Sanders-Warren ticket is not the worst thing in the world, with insurance in case it's needed.

[LastDemocratInSC]

29. This is my thought, too.

[JackInGreen]

30. +1

And again

[TomSlick]

12. I have an professional problem with this issue.

In the course of civil lawsuits, one of the first things I do is send interrogatories to the other side. It's a way of determining what is being claimed. Every once in a while, the other lawyer will dodge one of my questions or interpose an objection where none is justified. When this happens, I know where the pay-dirt is to be found. If the other guy is ready to fight over a question, it's because the answer will hurt.

I assume that if Sanders had a clean bill-of-health, he would publish his medical records on the Internet. The fact that he is keeping the records secret - after promising to release them - tells me that there is something to be kept hidden.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

18. Yeah, just like Bernie's tax returns... NOT!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[Cha]

14. KICK for Transparency.. he said he would.. ".. it's the right thing to do.. "

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[oasis]

26. Dems should avoid nominating someone with credibility issues.

I hope this is expressed again and again in Tuesday's debates.

[Cha]

28. That would be much appreciated..

Come on Dems.. do your job!

oasis

[yaesu]

15. pffft nt

[SunSeeker]

16. Nicolle Wallace was reading a statement by a doctor about the left ventricular ejection fraction...

and how important it is to have that number to determine the heart function level after a heart attack. It's also important to know what the number was before and immediately after the heart attack, as compared to now, to determine how much he has improved.

[McKim]

17. Thanks for the Reminder

Thanks for the reminder as a Warren and Sanders supporter I am going to donate again tomorrow. Goodbye DU I am done! It has been a fascinating few decades.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

19. Don't let a few naysayers ruin your experience here...they're actually helping propel Bernie's surge

in the polls. That's right, people know when Bernie's being unfairly treated and the Baseless Bernie Bashing Backlash is the result... it's why Bernie's glidin' and Joe's slidin' in the national polls.

Here, look...



So, don't despair... instead celebrate the soon-to-be-inaugurated President Sanders!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[Orrex]

21. Don't pretend that passionate progressives with reasonable concerns are "naysayers"

I'm frankly amazed that Sanders' supporters aren't more concerned about this. Do they have no concerns about the health of a 78 year old man with very recent cardiac trouble?

[cstanleytech]

23. To be honest his or any of the other Democratic candidates heart issues are of little interest to me

as the VP can take their place so as long as they pick a good one then all is well.
As far as VP goes I also think the winner of the nomination should honestly choose whatever candidate comes in with the 2nd highest votes as we need a strong base to rally around so we can be sure to beat Trump like a drum.

[Steelrolled]

31. This thread shows exactly why Bernie should NOT release

detailed medical records. Every armchair doctor, who dabbles in
politics, on the Internet would be picking it apart.

The summary letters from doctors are more than enough.

[scipan]

34. The cardiologist said he has NO heart failure

I think that's the same thing.