Arnold Schwarzenegger Is ‘More of a Machine’ Following Surgery to Install Pacemaker
After years of heart complications, Arnold Schwarzenegger has undergone surgery to receive a pacemaker. The 76-year-old actor detailed his decision to undergo the medical procedure in a recent newsletter, updating readers on his swift recovery process and revisiting the timeline of his previous open-heart surgeries.
“Last Monday, I had surgery to become a little bit more of a machine: I got a pacemaker,” Schwarzenegger wrote. The procedure was completed at Cleveland Clinic, which “made the surgery as painless as possible,” he detailed. The actor added that he’s already back on his feet and “doing great,” adding that by the end of the week, he was attending an event organized by environmental advocates in Los Angeles with Jane Fonda.
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Schwarzenegger last received surgery on his heart in 2020, when he underwent open-heart surgery to have one of his bicuspid valves replaced. He initially attempted to have the valve replaced in 2018 through a non-invasive procedure, but due to a “little screwup at the hospital,” only one was replaced through an unexpected open-heart procedure. He first had both valves replaced in 1997. The replacements last, on average, around 12 to 15 years, though he got 21 years out of his first set.
“With all of those surgeries, my doctors told me it was more important than ever to stay on top of the situation, and I checked in all of the time, sharing heart rate information from home. We knew the heartbeat was irregular, and my fantastic team watched it like a hawk,” Schwarzenegger continued. “They told me they would let me know when it was time for a pacemaker.”
The irregular heartbeat was attributed to scar tissue from the previous surgeries. The actor added: “That’s life with a genetic heart issue. But you won’t hear me complaining. My mother and her mother’s bicuspid valves killed them. I’m still here because of medical innovation and being very diligent about staying in touch with my doctors and listening to them.”
Usually, Schwarzenegger explained, he would refrain from sharing extensive details about his health with such a wide audience. “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. Everything related to healthcare was kept to yourself,” he shared. “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.”
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