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10 Celebrities With Irregular Heart Rhythms
These famous people don’t let their heart arrhythmias slow them down.
In the United States an estimated 12.1 million people have a heart condition called atrial fibrillation (afib), the most common form of treated arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Others have arrhythmias like supraventricular tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and bradycardia (slow heart rate). Among those with heart rhythm disorders are public figures like tennis player Billie Jean King, singer Miley Cyrus, and President Joe Biden, pictured above. Sometimes medical intervention is necessary to restore a regular heart rhythm, but other times the heart will return to a normal rhythm on its own. Read on to find out how these celebrities take care of their conditions.
1
President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden has had atrial fibrillation since 2003, though his most recent public medical records indicate he is asymptomatic and has never required medication or electrical treatments for his rate or rhythm. He is taking apixaban (Eliquis) for typical coagulation. Atrial fibrillation symptoms can include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue, and afib puts you at a fivefold higher risk of stroke.
2
Elton John
The award-winning singer-songwriter Elton John received a pacemaker in 1999 after tests showed an irregular heartbeat, according to The Guardian. In patients with atrial fibrillation, medicines are sometimes used to slow down an irregular heartbeat, says Kevin R. Campbell, MD, a cardiologist at Health First in Melbourne, Florida. “In many cases, a pacemaker is required in order to ensure that the heart rate does not drop to dangerously slow levels. This syndrome is quite common and is called tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome. It's the result of abnormal electrical conduction in the heart that's often associated with atrial fibrillation.”
3
Howie Mandel
At first, the America’s Got Talent judge Howie Mandel attributed fatigue and dizzy spells to his busy life on the road. But a routine exam detected atrial fibrillation, he told Everyday Health in an interview — his heart was pumping 170 times per minute. “Very fast heart rates, such as those associated with atrial fibrillation, can result in many complications,” Dr. Campbell cautions. “Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Very fast heart rates that are sustained over months can result in a weakened heart muscle and congestive heart failure. Fast heart rates can also cause the blood pressure to drop precipitously and result in syncope or blackout spells as well.” Now Mandel focuses on a healthy lifestyle to lower his risk of stroke.
4
Dick Cheney
Former Vice President Dick Cheney missed campaign events in 2008 because of atrial fibrillation, according to NBC News, and in 2009, ventricular fibrillation caused sudden cardiac arrest. His heart rhythm was restored with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) — which gives a short electrical shock to the heart. “Cardioversion is a reasonable way to restore normal heart rhythms,” explains Campbell. “However, over time, atrial fibrillation begets atrial fibrillation. In other words, the more afib you have, the harder it is to control. Most physicians will begin to use drug therapy in patients who have recurrent atrial fibrillation after multiple cardioversions. The strategy is to use drugs to help maintain normal sinus rhythm once cardioversion is performed.” In 2010, Cheney needed a surgically implanted, electrically driven pump called a left ventricular assist device (LAVD), which replaced his heart's normal functions until he received a lifesaving heart transplant.
5
Miley Cyrus
The pop star talked about her tachycardia diagnosis in her autobiography, Miles to Go. The condition causes her resting heart rhythm to exceed the normal range. Miley Cyrus has not disclosed her exact diagnosis but says the type of tachycardia she has is not life threatening. While it doesn’t hurt her, it does bother her. "There is never a time onstage when I'm not thinking about my heart,” she wrote. Many people with harmless arrhythmias live healthy lives without medical intervention, and testing can determine the need for treatment.
6
Tony Blair
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in 2003, BBC News reported in 2004. His condition was treated with cardioversion, but he eventually underwent a catheter ablation procedure to prevent him from having SVT in the future. “Catheter ablation is first-line therapy for the treatment of most SVTs,” says Campbell. “Physicians make the decision to perform ablation based on data obtained from the EKG and monitor strips. [Using these] an MD is able to make a good guess as to the location and mechanism of the tachycardia. Then the physician can have an informed discussion with the patient and advise them of the options for therapy.”
7
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons, the bass player for KISS, was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation around 2006 after he experienced symptoms on tour, Louder reported in 2016. “We were on tour somewhere and the stage temperature goes up by about 100 with all the stage light,” Simmons said. “My heart would go, ‘ba boom, ba boom.’ I started perspiring, getting dizzy and short of breath.” He credits a healthy lifestyle, including never drinking, doing drugs, or smoking, as crucial to preventing another episode. “There are many triggers for atrial fibrillation,” notes Campbell. “Some more common ones include alcohol, caffeine, and stress.”
8
Larry Bird
National Basketball Association (NBA) star Larry Bird said he struggled with atrial fibrillation for years before seeking help, according to Sports Illustrated. He would sometimes feel sudden exhaustion and an increased heart rate during off-season workouts in hot temperatures, but these sensations would pass after a long nap. It wasn’t until after Bird retired that these episodes started occurring more frequently, finally leading to his diagnosis at New England Baptist Hospital. King Yee, then-cardiologist for the NBA team Bird was coaching at the time, the Indiana Pacers, even had to use defibrillator paddles at one point to jolt his heart back to its normal rhythm.
9
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King, a tennis legend best known for her winning “Battle of the Sexes” match, felt very dizzy one day while getting out of a taxi, almost fainting. An EKG confirmed she had atrial fibrillation. She has since undergone an ablation to help keep her heart beating at a more typical rhythm and took a blood thinner once a day as of February 2016. She also joined with Janssen Pharmaceuticals to bring awareness to the condition.
10
Barry Manilow
In 2011, Barry Manilow revealed he had atrial fibrillation. In going public, the singer famous for such hits as “Mandy” and “I Write the Songs” told CBS News he wanted to share the information to help others and raise awareness. "I was driving home and I felt my heart skip a beat. Well, your heart skipping a beat doesn't sound like it's anything serious, so I didn't pay much attention to it,” said Manilow. “And then it went blump-bla-bla-blump. And it got crazier and crazier; I felt like there was a fish flopping around in my chest." Today the 81-year-old crooner, who has sold more than 85 million albums, sees a cardiologist and takes atrial fibrillation medication to manage his heart rhythm disorder.
The Takeaway
- The most common form of treated arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, is called atrial fibrillation.
- World leaders like President Joe Biden and pop culture icons like Elton John all have atrial fibrillation.
- Someone with atrial fibrillation may need various medications or procedures to restore their heartbeat to a typical rhythm, but sometimes a rhythm will go back to normal on its own.
Meet Our Experts
Chung Yoon, MD
Medical Reviewer
Chung Yoon, MD, is a noninvasive cardiologist with a passion for diagnosis, prevention, intervention, and treatment of a wide range of heart and cardiovascular disorders. He enjoys...
Mikel Theobald
Author
Mikel Theobald is an Indianapolis-based freelance writer who covers a wide range of topics, including early childhood education, home and family, Olympic sports, nutrition, fitness...