Recent studies offer a reminder that a big risk factor for Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman’s health issues is something over which he has no control: his height.
Cardiologists have known for years that taller people — such as the 6-foot-8 Fetterman, who is taller than all but a tiny fraction of adult men — are at higher risk for an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (A-fib). That heart condition in turn raises a person’s risk of a stroke, like the one Fetterman suffered May 13.
Fetterman has said he has lingering speech and communication issues, and his health remains under scrutiny as he draws criticism from Republican opponent Mehmet Oz for not yet committing to proposed debates.
