Arnold Schwarzenegger, akin to “The Terminator,” recently received an upgrade in his hardware. In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club Newsletter, the bodybuilding legend – Schwarzenegger disclosed that he underwent heart surgery and now has a pacemaker.
“I want to thank my whole team at the Cleveland Clinic. All of the doctors and nurses took amazing care of me and made the surgery as painless as possible.”
As a bodybuilding icon, Arnold Schwarzenegger captured global attention with one of the most impressive physiques of his era, securing seven Mr. Olympia titles and numerous other honors. However, his influence extended beyond bodybuilding into acting and politics, further cementing his legendary status.
At 76 years old, Schwarzenegger has faced several health challenges, including multiple open-heart surgeries. Despite these obstacles, he has consistently emerged from adversity with renewed vitality. His resilience in overcoming a decade-long battle with heart issues serves as a source of inspiration for millions of admirers.
![Arnold-Surgery-at-2010](https://colosseumstrength.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Arnold-Surgery-at-2010.jpeg)
Arnold Schwarzenegger Undergoes Heart Surgery & Receives Pacemaker
Last Monday (March 18, 2024), Arnold Schwarzenegger disclosed that he underwent surgery to have a pacemaker implanted. He detailed his experience and reflected on how attitudes towards health disclosure have evolved since his time in Austria, where such matters were typically kept private.
“Last Monday, I had surgery to become a little bit more of a machine: I got a pacemaker.
I have to tell you, just saying this to all of you goes against so much of my upbringing in Austria, where nobody — ever — talked about medical issues. Everything related to healthcare was kept to yourself.
But I’ve gotten so many messages and emails from people who were born with a bicuspid aortic valve, like me, telling me that talking about my valve replacement surgeries has given them courage and hope to deal with their own.
After the procedure, Schwarzenegger shared that he’s feeling fantastic and even joined fitness advocate Jane Fonda at a major environmental event.
“So, since I know that going against my secretive instinct and being transparent helps people, what choice do I have?
First of all, I want you to know I’m doing great!
I had my surgery on Monday, and by Friday, I was already at a big environmental event with my friend and fellow fitness crusader Jane Fonda. By the way, when we talk about exercise being the only magic pill to slow down aging, look at Jane. She’s ten years older than me, turning 87 this year!
Schwarzenegger stated that doctors advised him to get a pacemaker due to irregular heartbeats caused by scar tissue from a prior surgery.
“They also advised me that it was time to go through with this because some scar tissue from my previous surgery had made my heartbeat irregular. It had been like that for a few years, so I stayed in touch with my medical team and visited in person at least once a year to get a full checkup and see how my heart was doing.
That’s life with a genetic heart issue.But you won’t hear me complaining. My mother and her mother’s bicuspid valves killed them. I’m still here because of medical innovation and being very diligent about staying in touch with my doctors and listening to them.”
Despite a doctor’s mistake during valve replacement surgeries, Schwarzenegger made a full recovery. He attributed it to hard work, exercise, and proper nutrition.
“My mom refused to have the valve replacement surgery. But back then, the only option was open-heart. Today, they’re replacing valves with non-invasive procedures where you can go home the same day.”
I had my valves replaced for the first time in 1997, which required open-heart surgery. They told me both valves would last 12 to 15 years. Dr. Starnes did a wonderful job, and they made it 21 years, so by the time I went in for replacement in 2018, the non-invasive option was available.
Of course, you know that there was a little screwup at the hospital in Los Angeles, and my non-invasive surgery became open-heart. I told that story and shared footage here in this newsletter.
They only replaced one of the two valves, so I headed to the Cleveland Clinic in 2020 and did the other one. This time, the non-invasive Transcatheter valve replacement worked!”
View this post on Instagram
Schwarzenegger’s team, vigilant about his cardiovascular health, swiftly facilitated the surgery for the pacemaker.
“But with all of those surgeries, my doctors told me it was more important than ever to stay on top of the situation, and I checked in all of the time, sharing heart rate information from home. We knew the heartbeat was irregular, and my fantastic team watched it like a hawk.”
Shortly after hosting the 2024 Arnold Classic Ohio and UK events, Schwarzenegger underwent the operation, which proved successful. He noted a swift recovery, with his energy levels quickly returning to normal.
“They told me they would let me know when it was time for a pacemaker. I went in for my normal checkup at the beginning of March on my way to the Arnold Sports Festival, and they did a full series of tests. When I got home to LA, like it was fate, I was talking to one of my best friends.
They told me that they had a pacemaker implanted, it was a quick recovery, and their energy levels were back to what they were used to.”
![Hadi Choopan Seizes Victory at 2024 Arnold-Classic-UK](https://colosseumstrength.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hadi-Choopan-Seizes-Victory-at-2024-Arnold-Classic-UK.png)
Despite health challenges, Schwarzenegger ensured athletes remained the focus on stage.
“That’s one thing you learn about an irregular heartbeat: all that extra work your heart does wears you out. Man, if I can be honest with you, I struggled with those 16-hour days at the Arnold Sports Festival US at the beginning of March and in the UK last week, visiting as many sports as possible and walking through those crowds of hundreds of thousands of fitness fanatics.
The same day I talked to my friend, one of my doctors called to tell me that after looking at all of my results and data and knowing I had six weeks until it was time to film FUBAR Season 2, it was time to go for it. The doctors told me they want many more seasons of FUBAR, and this was the best way!”
Schwarzenegger opted to share his recent operation to spread positivity and inspiration within the community, instead of keeping it private.
“I told them I’d stop in Cleveland on my way home from the UK, and we’d do it.
Monday, I went under and got my new machine part installed.
Like I said, by Friday, I was out doing my normal environmental work, and nobody knew anything. I can’t do my serious training in the gym for a while, but I will be 100% ready for FUBAR next month!
I could have kept it a secret. But I know that we have more than 750,000 subscribers now (775,000 to be exact — the village is a city now!), and a lot of you are probably dealing with your own health challenges.”
View this post on Instagram
Additionally, Schwarzenegger hopes that his story will encourage others to prioritize their health.
“I want you to know you aren’t alone.
And if you’re putting something off out of fear, I hope I inspire you to listen to your doctors and take care of yourself.”
![2024 Arnold Classic Open Bodybuilding Results — Hadi Choopan Claim first Arnold classic victory](https://colosseumstrength.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Arnold-Classic-Open-Bodybuilding-Results-—-Hadi-Choopan-Claim-first-Arnold-classic-victory.png)
Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to prioritize his health in retirement despite his busy schedule. From sharing workout and nutrition tips to recounting his experiences with surgeries, the bodybuilding legend’s journey remains inspiring to follow.
Given his love for the gym, we expect to see Schwarzenegger pumping iron sooner rather than later. After receiving a pacemaker, he assures fans that his heart health is back on track, indicating his imminent return to his fitness routine.
Check out his Video From New York Post & PageSix at Youtube Channels:
Overview
Schwarzenegger recently underwent heart surgery to receive a pacemaker, sharing his experience and reflections in a newsletter. Despite his Austrian upbringing of keeping health matters private, he aims to inspire others by being transparent about his heart condition.
Featured Image @schwarzenegger (Instagram), @pagesix (Youtube), @NewYork Post (NYPost.com)