Former US President Bill Clinton was admitted to a Manhattan hospital yesterday with chest pains and will undergo bypass surgery on Tuesday, writes Conor O'Clery in New York.
An angiogram had revealed "significant blockage", said a Democratic Party official.
Mr Clinton (58) did not suffer a heart attack but was in immediate danger of having one, he said. Mr Clinton was admitted to New York Presbyterian Hospital which was immediately besieged by reporters and camera crews.
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was travelling in upstate New York, arrived at the hospital by motorcade shortly afterwards. She told reporters that her husband had gone to Northern Westchester Hospital on Thursday afternoon after experiencing mild chest pain and shortness of breath. He then spent the night at home in nearby Chappaqua, New York.
After additional testing on Friday morning at Westchester, doctors advised him to have bypass surgery and to do it as soon as possible, she said.
Mrs Clinton and their daughter, Chelsea, will be with him for the operation in the hospital which is north of Mr Clinton's Harlem office.
Mr Clinton, who returned a few days ago from a trip to Ireland, was said to be in good spirits. A well-known junk food fan, he went on the South Beach low-carb diet in January and had lost considerable weight.
At a campaign stop in Wisconsin, President Bush called Mr Clinton with "best wishes for a swift and speedy recovery".
"He's in our thoughts and prayers," he said.