Sen. John Fetterman hospitalized after fall near his home
Sen. John Fetterman's office said the Pennsylvania Democrat is under "routine observation" in a Pittsburgh hospital after he fell during an early morning walk Thursday near his home in Braddock, Pennsylvania.
"It was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Senator Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground and hitting his face with minor injuries," a statement from his office said.
"If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!" Fetterman said, according to the statement.
Fetterman opted to stay in the hospital so doctors can "fine-tune his medication regimen," the statement said.
Ventricular fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm, according to the American Heart Association. It can be extremely dangerous and lead to sudden cardiac death. Without treatment, it can be fatal within minutes.
Typically, medical professionals do not use the term “ventricular fibrillation flare-up” as the condition is a life-threatening one. Ventricular fibrillation typically requires shock therapy -- either through an automated external defibrillator or a previously implanted defibrillation device in the chest.
Fetterman suffered a stroke in May 2022 during the Democratic primary for the state's open Senate seat. Despite his condition limiting his campaigning, he won the Democratic nomination and later defeated Dr. Mehmet Oz, now President Donald Trump's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, in the general election.
"I had a stroke that was caused by a clot from my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for too long," Fetterman said in a statement at the time.
The following February, Fetterman was hospitalized for several days of observation after feeling lightheaded, though his aides said testing ruled out seizures or another stroke.
Weeks later, Fetterman checked himself into a Washington hospital for treatment of depression.
"While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks," Adam Jentleson, his chief of staff, said at the time.
ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.
