PHOTOSJoe Biden's Health Issues: What to Know About the President's Condition
Is Joe Biden's Mental Health Deteriorating?
The physician to the president stated in the February 2023 report that President Joe Biden remains 'a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male.'
President Joe Biden's age is already a concern for voters who think he is too old to be reelected, and his current health condition is only making things worse.
Most recently, he sparked rumors that he is showing early signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease when he spoke at a campaign reception in Manhattan on Wednesday, September 20.
During the event hosted by billionaire real estate heiress Amy Goldman Fowler, Biden repeated the same story about the August 2017 riot in Charlottesville, Va., within a span of 20 minutes.
OK! cited mental health experts' explanations about the symptoms of deteriorating mental health, including repeating words or phrases within a short period of time. Biden, however, has been showing the aforementioned sign over the past few years.
According to RadarOnline, psychologist Dr. Holly Schiff alleged in February that the available evidence proved that the president has been "secretly suffering" from dementia.
Showing Signs of Physical Weakness
Joe Biden officially became America's oldest president when he was elected into office.
In February, Biden stumbled on the Air Force One stairs after previously falling up the same stairs in March 2021. He took another short trip on stage at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado in June, during which three people assisted him to get back up on his feet.
He also fell off his bike during a short vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
New York-based internal medicine physician Dr. Stuart Fischer told the Daily Mail that people suffer more frequent and severe falls as they get older.
"[If] someone falls and hits their head or hips while on a blood thinner, there is more of a chance of a medical emergency than for people not on anticoagulants," he explained, referring to the blood thinner medicine Biden has been taking for his atrial fibrillation. "A head injury when someone is an anticoagulant is potentially disastrous."
Atrial Fibrillation
Physician to the president Dr. Kevin C. O'Connor noted that Joe Biden's A-fib is 'stable.'
In the February medical report, Dr. Kevin C. O'Connor revealed the president underwent a cardiology consultation, electrocardiogram and echocardiogram to determine his heart's status. They showed normal results, but Biden is taking apixaban, a novel oral anticoagulant, to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots among patients suffering from non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
Before becoming the president, Biden suffered an episode in 2006 after starting to experience symptoms in 2003. At that time, his primary care physician noted that he remained in good health while taking cholesterol medication and a blood thinner.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, A-fib is the cause of 158,000 deaths each year.
COVID-19 Diagnosis
Joe Biden contracted COVID-19 virus twice.
Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21, 2022, and suffered mild symptoms for a week. The infection rebounded on July 30, but he tested negative for the virus four times until August 6.
Dr. O'Connor said the president has not experienced any signs of "long COVID," or an extended symptom after testing negative for the virus.
Hyperlipidemia (High Cholesterol)
Based on the medical report, Joe Biden's hyperlipidemia was also stable.
Biden's latest health summary confirmed that he has "stable hyperlipidemia," though the condition can lead to kidney disease, stroke and/or heart attack.
"High cholesterol is not inevitable with age but age is a factor in raised cholesterol," Dr. Suhail Hussain explained to The Telegraph. "His lipid level – lipids are fat-like substances found in your blood and body tissues – is controlled by statin tablets so there is no issue with his cholesterol profile."
Gastroesophageal Reflux
Joe Biden often clears his throat whenever he delivers his speeches.
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Before the 2023 medical report, Biden's November 2021 physical examination noted he was suffering from acid reflux at that time. Although the results at that time came back normal, he continued taking Pepcid to treat the condition.
According to Dr. Hussain, the health issue is not necessarily age-related.
Seasonal Allergies
Joe Biden still experiences symptoms of seasonal allergies despite his regular treatment.
For most of his life, Biden has reportedly dealt with sinus congestion and other seasonal allergies. Dr. O'Connor said his symptoms improved, but the president was still advised to take nasal spray and OTC medicine.
Spondylosis/Stiffened Gait
Dr. Kevin C. O'Connor noticed in November 2021 that Joe Biden demonstrated 'a perceptibly stiffened ambulatory gait.'
Dr. O'Connor added moderate to severe degenerative osteoarthritic change, or spondylosis, to the 2023 medical exam after having specialists look at Biden's physical exam and radiologic imaging. The physician, who initially noticed it in November 2021, said that the president did not have it before suffering an injury in November 2020.
"[Biden's] gait remains stiff, but has not worsened since last year," the doctor said. "Examination this year was unchanged, with the exception of possibly tighter hamstrings and calves."
Mild Sensory Peripheral Neuropathy of Feet
Joe Biden's mobility issues have been one of the biggest sources of concern over the past few months.
Biden's arthritis in his back and neuropathy in his feet might explain why the president has been stumbling from time to time. Dr. O'Connor wrote that the symptoms of these diseases have not progressed and that the results improved a bit.
Skin Cancer
First Lady Jill Biden also underwent surgery to remove three skin lesions, one of which was positive for basal cell carcinoma.
The 2023 report did not include an update on Biden's skin cancer diagnosis, but O'Connor released a separate memo confirming that the president underwent a removal of a lesion off his chest at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on February 16.
Biden had non-melanoma skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions removed before he took over the office.
Sleep Apnea
Joe Biden uses a CPAP machine to help him sleep.
On June 28, a White House official confirmed to CBS News that President Biden has been using a CPAP machine to improve his sleeping. It revealed the condition after reporters noticed indentations on his lower cheeks when he made a public appearance before the events in Chicago he was scheduled to attend.
Biden previously disclosed his issues with sleep apnea in his 2008 medical reports.
