Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the President's Health

President Bush has carried out his normal schedule for the day, indicating several times that he felt well and is glad to be back at work. The President is cheerful and absorbed by conversations with visitors to the Oval Office, often indicating that he feels in the best of health. The President's heartbeat remains in normal sinus rhythm, which means that there is no irregularity.

The White House medical staff continues to monitor the President's heartbeat on a regular basis. A heart monitor has been set up near the President's study just off the Oval Office. A White House nurse checks the President's heartbeat with the monitor between meetings and at other times when the President is not otherwise occupied. During the course of the day, the President's heartbeat has shown no evidence of returning to fibrillation. Monitoring in the days ahead will be done by telemetric EKG equipment.

The intravenous line was removed from the President's arm late this afternoon. The bandage remains only to close the point of insertion. The President remains on digoxin and procainamide.

According to the President's Physician, Dr. Burton Lee, "The President's medical day in the White House has been uneventful. He has performed the functions of office while maintaining good humor and good health. No problems of any kind have arisen since he left the hospital."