MONDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Former President George H.W.
Bush remained Monday in a Houston hospital, where he has been
treated for bronchitis and a lingering cough.
A spokesman for Methodist Hospital said the 88-year-old Bush
remains in stable condition. Previously, aides said the 41st
president would probably be discharged over the weekend. He has
been in and out of the hospital for treatment of the cough and
bronchitis, the
Associated Pressreported.
Bush, who was president from 1989 to 1993, and is the father of
former President George W. Bush, has been in the hospital several
times recently for treatment of bronchitis, the
APreported.
The doctor in charge of his care, Dr. Amy Myunderse, said late
last week that the elder Bush's condition was never
life-threatening.
"Anytime someone the president's age has bronchitis, there's concern about possible pneumonia," Myunderse said. "But Mr. Bush's condition never progressed to that level."
Dr. Sumita Khatri, a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic
Foundation, said that as "someone gets older they are at more risk
of getting chronic medical problems."
Khatri, who is not involved in Bush's care, added that "these
problems increase the likelihood of getting infections like
bronchitis. This can lead to pneumonia if it's bacterial."
Pneumonia is a much more serious condition, which is fatal in
many elderly people.
Khatri noted that Bush also suffers from Parkinson's disease,
which is a neurological problem that can affect muscle tone,
including the muscles of the respiratory system.
Bush's condition appears not to be one that can be treated at
home, which is why he is in the hospital where there is care and
monitoring around the clock. Doctors want to see that the condition
is "turning the corner and not progressing to the lower lungs and
becoming pneumonia," Khatri said.
Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New
York City, added that "one thing people need to know is that over
the age of 65 people should get a pneumonia vaccination."
More information
For more on bronchitis, visit the
U.S. National Library of Medicine.