Arnold Schwarzenegger, 76, had pacemaker fitted after 3 open heart surgeries: ‘More of a machine’ now

Arnold Schwarzenegger turns more into a “machine” every day.

The 76-year-old “Terminator” star, who had a congenital heart defect, revealed on his “Arnold’s Pump Club” podcast that he was fitted for a pacemaker last week after previously undergoing three open heart surgeries.

“Last Monday, I had surgery to become a little bit more of a machine. I got a pacemaker,” he told listeners on the episode released Monday. “I have to tell you, just saying this to all of you goes against so much of my upbringing in Austria, where nobody ever talked about medical issues.”

The former governor of California continued: “Everything related to health care was kept to yourself. But I’ve gotten so many messages and emails from people who were born with a bicuspid aortic valve, like me, telling me that talking about my valve replacement surgeries has given them courage and hope to deal with their own.

“So, since I know that going against my secretive instinct and being transparent helps people, what choice do I have?” he added.

In 2018, Schwarzenegger had open heart surgery to replace a pulmonary valve, following a previous pulmonary valve replacement in 1997.

He also underwent heart surgery in 2020 to replace an aortic valve.

The legendary former bodybuilder assured fans that he is en route to a speedy recovery.

“First of all, I want you to know I’m doing great,” Schwarzenegger said on Monday. “I had my surgery on Monday, and by Friday, I was already at a big environmental event with my friend and fellow fitness crusader Jane Fonda. By the way, when we talk about exercise being the only magic pill to slow down aging, look at Jane. She’s 10 years older than me, turning 87 this year.”

Schwarzenegger also thanked the medical team who “took amazing care” of him and “made the surgery as painless” as possible.

“Nobody would ever have thought I started the week with a surgery,” he added, explaining that his doctors advised him it was time to get a pacemaker “because some scar tissue from my previous surgery had made my heartbeat irregular.”

The health news comes just weeks after his good pal Danny DeVito told The Post that they pair are working on a new movie together. Before his surgery, Schwarzenegger and DeVito, 79, reunited onstage at the Oscars on March 10.

“We’ve talked to [a Warner Bros. exec] about a movie for Arnold and I,” DeVito told The Post. “So we’re in the process of … we’re thinking about it. It may not be related to ‘Twins.’ Or, it may be related to other things that we’ve done. ‘Junior’ or ‘Batman.'”