The White House physician has reported that President Trump remains in "exceptional health," after test results from his latest physical showed a cardiac age well below his 79 years. The president has had no restrictions placed on his schedule, Dr. Sean Barbarella wrote. The doctor said in a letter released Friday night that the checkup earlier in the day at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center involved advanced imaging, laboratory tests, and preventive health assessments, coordinated with outside medical consultants, ABC News reports. Trump, who has raised doubts about vaccine safety as recently as Thursday, received a flu shot and updated COVID-19 booster shot during his visit, Barbarella said.
The doctor emphasized Trump's "optimal cardiovascular health," noting that tests showed his "cardiac age" to be about 14 years younger than his actual age. Barbarella also said his patient demonstrated strong health across cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical areas. The update did not mention any changes regarding Trump's chronic venous insufficiency, a condition he was diagnosed with over the summer after being seen with bruising and swollen legs. Outside physicians, including Dick Cheney's longtime cardiologist, said the White House should release more information about the results because some of the tests Trump underwent, six months after his last physical, don't seem to be routine.
"Are they following up on concerns from when it was noted during the summer that his legs were very swollen, or are they following up on new symptoms?" Dr. Jonathan Reiner said, per the Washington Post. A White House physician for Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama had questions about the cardiac age reported. "For a 79-year-old, best practice is to also use advanced imaging, like a CT of coronary arteries to evaluate plaque buildup and extent of atherosclerosis blockage," said Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman. "The White House states he went there for advanced imaging. They chose not to release those results."