UK News 20-10-2003 Blair Heart Attack Scare who: Tony Blair what: Rushed to hospital after suffering irregular heart beat and chest pains where: Hammersmith Hospital, LONDON when: Yesterday snippet: "Tony Blair was taken to hospital yesterday with a suspected heart attack after being taken ill at Chequers," reports The Telegraph this morning. "He was treated by doctors for almost five hours for an irregular heartbeat and underwent a cardioversion, which involves an injection of chemicals or electro shock therapy to stabilise the heartbeat." "Downing Street stressed that he was allowed to leave by doctors within six hours," reports The Guardian. "His officials insisted that his prompt return to No 10 told its own story, insisting there was not a deeper problem." The ITV news says his condition is called Supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT, and "is often described as an electrical short-circuiting of the heart. It can happen in an otherwise healthy person and can stop as quickly as it starts, giving the sufferer a fright but leaving them unharmed." Naturally, the press is speculating on the prime minister`s future, suggesting that the pressure of his job may be too much. "He will come under pressure from his family and friends to slow down," writes Rosemary Bennett in The Times, "and only time will tell whether the problem will encourage him to leave the job earlier than he had expected." [... more]

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