Frightening news out of Hollywood today, as multiple sources have confirmed that Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently hospitalized following an emergency open heart surgery.
According to TMZ, the 70-year-old screen icon and former governor of California is currently recovering at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles following a catheter valve replacement that went awry.
Sources say doctors were prepared for the possibility that the valve replacement might fail, and they quickly made the decision to perform emergency open heart surgery.
While the second procedure reportedly went as planned, family, friends, and fans are said to be deeply concerned, and understandably so.
Adding to their fear is the fact that this is not the first time Schwarzenegger has undergone heart surgery.
The actor had an aortic valve replaced in 1997.
Doctors reportedly informed Schwarzenegger that the procedure wasn’t urgently needed at the time, but he decided to get it out of the way while he was still young.
It’s not currently clear if Schwarzenegger’s recent problems are related to the condition he was treated for back then.
At the time of his first procedure, Schwarzenegger stated that the condition was congenital and not the result of past steroid use.
While this week’s open heart surgery was an emergency procedure, sources say it went as well as could be expected, given the circumstances.
There’s no word yet on when Schwarzenegger will be fully recovered, but those who know him best expect the famously ambitious fitness fanatic to be back on his feet in no time.
Arnold, of course, has been a mainstay in American pop culture and politics for the past four decades.
The Austrian-born former bodybuilder is on the short list of celebrities who are so iconic they can be referred to by a single name.
At 70, he remains as relevant as ever, and Schwarzenegger’s feud with Donald Trump recently made headlines and reminded the world of just what a sharp wit Arnold truly is.
Schwarzenegger has yet to issue a statement regarding his latest health scare, but you can bet that one is coming soon.
Arnold famously loves his public as much as the public loves him.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.
