WASHINGTON, DC (NAN, CONVERSEER) – The White House has revealed President Donald Trump’s health status, saying he “remains in excellent overall health” after undergoing a “comprehensive executive physical”.
According to his White House physician on Monday, Capt. Sean Barbabella, the advanced imaging of the 79-year-old president’s heart and abdomen had come back “perfectly normal”.
The previous day, Trump said he had undergone an MRI scan, but had “no idea” which part of his body was being looked at.
Barbabella’s memo stated that the president was checked during a physical in October “because men in his age group benefit from thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health”.
The physician said there was no evidence of arterial narrowing impairing blood flow or abnormalities in Trump’s heart or major vessels, adding that overall, Trump’s cardiovascular system “shows excellent health”.
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In October, Trump said he received an MRI at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, while the White House said the visit was part of his “routine yearly checkup”.
Trump said at the time that the MRI “was perfect”.
In Monday’s memo, Barbabella said the purpose of the scan was preventative, “to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality and function”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read the document during a news briefing on Monday.
“I think that’s quite a bit of detail in the effort of transparency,” Leavitt said. “The president promised it last night and we have it delivered today.”
Two physicians who reviewed the memo told the BBC that MRIs were “not typically standard” for preventive care.
Dr Carla Perissinotto, a geriatrics specialist at the University of California San Francisco, said some people do opt for testing which is outside standard age-based guidelines.
Dr Jeffrey Linder, chief of general internal medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, highlighted that Barbabella’s memo did not specify whether an MRI or computed tomography (CT) scan was performed, making it difficult to know exactly what was done.
He said routine anatomical imaging – whether MRI or CT – was generally discouraged in asymptomatic patients because the potential risks outweighed the benefits.
Linder said that even for executive physicals – which cater to busy professionals and include a host of additional tests – it was uncommon for results to come back “perfectly normal” with no coronary calcification.
Trump has been seen with swollen ankles and bruising on his right hand and has been spotted appearing to doze off during meetings.
