WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has canceled several upcoming campaign events after being hospitalized and undergoing an emergency heart procedure.
Sanders' senior adviser Jeff Weaver revealed in a statement that the Democratic presidential candidate experienced some chest discomfort during a campaign event in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
'Following medical evaluation and testing he was found to have a blockage in one artery and two stents were successfully inserted,' Weaver said.
'Sen. Sanders is conversing and in good spirits. He will be resting up over the next few days,' he added. 'We are canceling his events and appearances until further notice, and we will continue to provide appropriate updates.'
According to Politico, Sanders had been scheduled to attend a gun policy forum in Nevada on Wednesday before making seven appearances across California on Thursday and Friday.
The 78-year-old Sanders is the oldest candidate running for the Democratic nomination but has rarely faced questions about his health due in part to his energetic campaign style.
Former Vice President and Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden is 76, while Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., another leading Democratic candidate, is 70.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who was the oldest person to become president, is 73. If elected, Sanders would become the oldest president to serve.
The RealClearPolitics average of recent national polls shows Biden continues to lead in the race for the Democratic nomination, although Warren has surged into a close second.
Biden leads at 26.1 percent, Warren is at 24.4 percent and Sanders comes in third at 16.7 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics average.
(Photo: Gage Skidmore)
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