By Peter Griffiths LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) received electro-cardiac treatment at a London hospital on Sunday after being admitted with heart palpitations, and was later released "well and in good spirits," his office said.
Doctors told Blair, 50, to ease off for a day and a Downing Street spokesman
said it was only a minor scare without serious repercussions.
Blair spent five hours in hospital for the treatment.
"The hospital say this is a relatively common condition and is easily
treated," the Downing Street statement said. "He has suffered no damage and is
fine."
Blair keeps himself fit with a near-daily treadmill workout, but has had a
gruelling year dealing with the Iraq (news
- web
sites) war followed by a damaging inquiry into the suicide of a weapons
expert which has eroded the government's popularity.
"He was feeling under the weather earlier today and is now back in Downing
Street," the spokesman said. "He is well and in good spirits."
The statement said doctors at Hammersmith hospital regulated Blair's heart
beat via electric shock in a procedure known as "cardio-version."
"This was completely successful, he was in hospital for four to five hours
and he is now back in Number 10 (Downing Street)," the spokesman said. "There is
no reason why this should reoccur. They have advised him to rest for 24 hours."
DAY OFF
Blair's office said his Foreign Secretary Jack Straw would take his place on
Monday to give a statement to parliament on the European Union (news
- web
sites) meeting the prime minister attended last week.
Blair would, however, hold some meetings during the day "and will be back
full-time at his desk on Tuesday morning," the spokesman said.
The youngest prime minister since 1812, Blair has a reputation as a keep-fit
enthusiast and even joined the equally fitness-keen President Bush (news
- web
sites) in the gym on a recent trip.
He has, however, looked drawn through much of 2003, first as he sold an
unpopular war to skeptical Britons, then when critics rounded on him for his
office's role in the outing of the name of scientist David Kelly, who committed
suicide. (Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; editing by Steve Pagani)
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