US Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, suffers what he calls ‘minor stroke’

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, is recovering from a “minor stroke,” he said in a statement late Sunday night.

The senator said he was admitted to the George Washington University Hospital after experiencing lightheadedness and acute neck pain while giving a speech in Western Maryland.

Subsequent testing revealed he had had a minor stroke “in the form of a small venous tear at the back of my head.”

Van Hollen, 63, said he will suffer no long-term effects from the stroke but will remain “under observation” for a few days before returning to the Senate later this week.

Over the weekend, Pennsylvania Senate hopeful John Fetterman was also admitted to a hospital for a stroke related to atrial fibrillation, according to a statement on Twitter.

News of Van Hollen’s stroke, released late Sunday, prompted good wishes from constituents and fellow Democratic lawmakers Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger and Rep. Jamie Raskin.

Raskin wrote on Twitter that Van Hollen “gave an excellent and inspiring speech at the Western Maryland Democratic Summit even as he apparently suffered this mild stroke.”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott also wished Van Hollen a fast recovery, writing in a Twitter post: “We need you on the Senate floor now more than ever.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year. Symptoms can include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, particularly on one side of the body, as well as trouble speaking or seeing, difficulty walking, or sudden and severe headache.

Patients who receive immediate medical attention, arriving at the emergency room within three hours of the onset of symptoms, typically experience fewer long-term effects than those for whom treatment is delayed.

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