After missed timelines and weeks of unexplained delays, 80-year-old President Joe Biden finally underwent his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Thursday morning.
As Katie reported earlier in 2023, the White House was — without giving a reason — delaying President Biden's annual physical. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had told the press corps that Biden would undergo his yearly checkup in January, but that didn't happen. She insisted the White House was handling Biden's health in a "very transparent way," even though Biden's doctor was not made available to answer reporters' questions when he had COVID in 2022 and his physical was put off despite Biden having plenty of time to spend long weekends in Delaware.
Following Biden's physical, the president's doctor — Kevin O'Connor — sent Karine Jean-Pierre a five-page memo shared with reporters on Thursday evening detailing Biden's health and listing off the conditions for which the president is being treated.
O'Connor reported that Biden "does not use any tobacco products, does not drink alcohol, and he continues to work out at least five days per week." The president measured 72 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds for a BMI of 24.1, according to his doctor. His blood pressure was 128/76, his pulse was 69, and his body temperature was 98.6 degrees.
The president's doctor stated that Biden's "extremities have a full range of motion" and his "strength and reflexes are all normal and symmetrical."
O'Connor called Biden "active" and reported that he is "currently being treated" for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (A-fib) but "remains completely asymptomatic," shows "no signs of heart failure", and "has never required any medication or electrical treatments to address either his rate or his rhythm."
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In addition, Biden is also being treated for hyperlipidemia but the president's "lipid levels remain remarkably low on his current regimen of rosuvastatin" with total cholesterol at 115mg/dL, triglycerides at 87 mg/dL, HDL at 46 mg/dL, and LDL at 58 mg/dL.
O'Connor reported that Biden is also being treated for gastroesophageal reflux that causes the president to have to "clear his throat more often" and "may also contribute to occasional cough and sinus congestion."
Seasonal allergies were also listed by Biden's doctor as something needing ongoing treatment with sinus spray and Allegra to ease his congestion.
Biden's "stiffened gait" was also listed as a condition for which he's receiving treatment. O'Connor said he "noted that the President was demonstrating a perceptibly stiffened ambulatory gait" in Biden's November 2021 physical. After further assessment of Biden's gait, O'Connor said that his team "concluded that much of [Biden's] stiffness is in fact a result of degenerative ('wear and tear') osteoarthritic changes (or spondylosis) of his spine." Biden's doctor said the president's gait "has not worsened since last year" and said an "extremely detailed neurologic exam was again reassuring that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or ascending lateral sclerosis."
O'Connor also stated that Biden has mild sensory peripheral neuropathy in both feet that cause Biden to experience "subtle heat/cold sensation deficit." While O'Connor noted that the "most common cause" of this is diabetes, he said that Biden's "Hemoglobin A1C and fasting blood glucose are both normal." Biden was prescribed custom orthotics "to optimize foot biomechanics."
Biden also continues to undergo skin cancer surveillance after previously having "several localized, non-melanoma skin cancers removed with Mohs surgery before he started his presidency," O'Connor recounted. In his physical on Thursday, "several small areas of actinic change on his face and head were treated with liquid nitrogen cryotherapy" and "one small lesion on the President's chest was excised today and sent for traditional biopsy" — the results of which are still pending.
O'Connor stated that Biden's "overall eye health is reassuring" and a routine dental exam revealed no "issues requiring any interventions."
Biden's doctor said that the "most notable interval history for this past year was the President's very extensively reported upper respiratory infection from SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)" in late July that rebounded in early August — and the doctor's summary of Biden's bout with COVID read even more like a White House press release than medical information:
Fortunately, having been fully vaccinated and twice boosted at the time of initial infection, the President experienced only mild symptoms, consisting mostly of a deep, loose cough and hoarseness. He responded very well to standard, outpatient therapy, to include the anti-viral medication Paxlovid. His vital signs remained normal throughout his illness. Most importantly, his oxygenation remained excellent on room air. His pulse oximetry never fell below 97%. The President experienced rebound positivity several days after testing negative, as has been well documented. Again, his course remained mild.
During his infection, the President was able to continue the business of the American people, working from the Executive Residence. He isolated in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations. He made it a very deliberate priority to protect any of the Executive Resident, White House, Secret Service and other staff who duties required any (albeit socially distanced) proximity to him.
In conclusion, O'Connor stated that "President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief."
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