Dick Cheney's decades-long battle with heart disease ends with a transplant at 71

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney received a heart transplant at the age of 71. His long history of heart problems began with his first attack at just 37. Over the years, he endured multiple surgeries and treatments to manage his condition.

Cheney's first heart attack struck in 1978, when he was 37. Over the following decades, he suffered four more, each requiring medical intervention. Doctors performed a quadruple bypass and several angioplasties to clear blocked arteries. Later, he developed circulation issues in his legs, further complicating his health.

By 2010, after his fifth heart attack, Cheney's heart function had deteriorated severely. Surgeons implanted a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to help pump blood while he awaited a transplant. A pacemaker was also fitted to monitor his irregular heartbeat. Two years later, in 2012, he finally received a donor heart at 71.

That same year, 362 Americans aged 65 or older underwent heart transplants. By 2021, the total number of U.S. heart transplants had nearly doubled, rising from 2,378 in 2012 to 4,572. Survival rates for recipients have also improved, with over 70% living at least five years post-surgery.

Cheney's transplant marked the end of a decades-long battle with heart disease. His case reflects broader trends in cardiac care, where advancing technology and donor availability have extended survival for older patients. Today, thousands more receive life-saving transplants each year than a decade ago.