Former Vice President Dick Cheney battled heart disease for most of his adult life, a life extended thanks in part to a heart transplant in 2012. Cheney, who died Monday due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, had his first heart attack at the unusually young age of 37. He would go on to survive four more before his heart declined enough to qualify for that transplant.
Heart disease is the nation’s No. 1 killer and Cheney’s decades of health problems illustrate how heart trouble can accumulate — as well as the varied treatments.
Cheney’s heart history includes undergoing quadruple bypass surgery to reroute blood flow around clogged heart arteries, less invasive angioplasties, and the implantation of a pacemaker to monitor his heartbeat. He also experienced significant blood vessel problems in his legs. After his fifth heart attack in 2010, he acknowledged increasing congestive heart failure and received another implant, a small pump called a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), which essentially operated as a mechanical heart for him, powered by batteries worn around his waist.
In March 2012, at the age of 71, Cheney received a heart transplant. Remarkably, over 70% of heart transplant recipients live at least five years, with many surviving longer. Cheney's age at the time of his transplant was above the typical age range of 50 to 64 years, yet he was among 362 people aged 65 or older who received a new heart that year, according to the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (UNOS).
Despite advancements, the number of heart transplants is growing at an insufficient rate compared to need. Hundreds of thousands of adults suffer from advanced heart failure, yet many never make it to the transplant list, often due to the organ shortage. The number of heart transplants performed last year, 4,572, reflects a gradual increase since Cheney's transplant in 2012, where only 2,378 surgeries were performed. Notably, the number of recipients aged 65 and older rose to 905 last year, showcasing an increasing acceptance of older candidates for transplantation.
Heart disease is the nation’s No. 1 killer and Cheney’s decades of health problems illustrate how heart trouble can accumulate — as well as the varied treatments.
Cheney’s heart history includes undergoing quadruple bypass surgery to reroute blood flow around clogged heart arteries, less invasive angioplasties, and the implantation of a pacemaker to monitor his heartbeat. He also experienced significant blood vessel problems in his legs. After his fifth heart attack in 2010, he acknowledged increasing congestive heart failure and received another implant, a small pump called a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), which essentially operated as a mechanical heart for him, powered by batteries worn around his waist.
In March 2012, at the age of 71, Cheney received a heart transplant. Remarkably, over 70% of heart transplant recipients live at least five years, with many surviving longer. Cheney's age at the time of his transplant was above the typical age range of 50 to 64 years, yet he was among 362 people aged 65 or older who received a new heart that year, according to the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (UNOS).
Despite advancements, the number of heart transplants is growing at an insufficient rate compared to need. Hundreds of thousands of adults suffer from advanced heart failure, yet many never make it to the transplant list, often due to the organ shortage. The number of heart transplants performed last year, 4,572, reflects a gradual increase since Cheney's transplant in 2012, where only 2,378 surgeries were performed. Notably, the number of recipients aged 65 and older rose to 905 last year, showcasing an increasing acceptance of older candidates for transplantation.
