0:41Sen. John Fetterman addresses journalists outside the Senate Chamber during roll calls on November 10, 2025, at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The office of Sen. John Fetterman communicated that the Pennsylvania Democrat is undergoing "routine monitoring" at a Pittsburgh medical center following a fall during an early morning stroll Thursday in close proximity to his residence in Braddock, Pennsylvania.
"It was determined that he experienced a ventricular fibrillation incident which resulted in Senator Fetterman feeling dizzy, collapsing, and sustaining minor facial injuries," according to a declaration from his staff.
"If you believed my face appeared rough previously, just wait until you view it now!" Fetterman remarked, based on the declaration.
Fetterman decided to remain in the hospital to allow physicians to "optimize his medication plan," as indicated in the statement.
Sen. John Fetterman speaks to reporters outside the Senate Chamber during votes on November 10, 2025 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Ventricular fibrillation represents an irregular heart rhythm, as described by the American Heart Association. It can be exceedingly perilous and give rise to abrupt cardiac arrest. In the absence of care, it could prove deadly in a matter of minutes.
Usually, medical experts refrain from utilizing the expression “ventricular fibrillation flare-up” given that the ailment poses a threat to life. Ventricular fibrillation generally calls for electrical shock intervention — through either an automated external defibrillator or a defibrillation implement that was previously inserted in the chest.
Fetterman experienced a stroke in May of 2022 throughout the Democratic primary for the state's vacant Senate position. Regardless of his ailment hindering his campaigning, he secured the Democratic nomination and subsequently triumphed over Dr. Mehmet Oz, now President Donald Trump's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services director, in the general election.
"I suffered a stroke that stemmed from a clot in my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for an extended period," Fetterman communicated in a declaration at the time.
The subsequent February, Fetterman was admitted to the hospital for a number of days for observation after experiencing lightheadedness, although his assistants stated that examinations dismissed seizures or another stroke.
Weeks afterward, Fetterman checked himself into a Washington hospital to undergo treatment for depression.
"While John has dealt with depression intermittently throughout his lifetime, it only intensified in recent weeks," Adam Jentleson, his chief of staff, mentioned at the time.
ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud participated in this report.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
