After exam, doc praises president’s heart, mind
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s overall health “is excellent” and he did “exceedingly well” on cognitive screening designed to detect early signs of memory loss and other neurologic functions, the Navy doctor who performed Trump’s medical checkup said Tuesday.
Ronny Jackson had issued a blanket declaration that Trump was in “excellent health” after last Friday’s exam and had promised to provide a fuller readout on Tuesday.
He reported that the 6-foot-3 president weighed in at 239 pounds, 3 pounds heavier than he was in September 2016, the last time Trump revealed his weight to the public.
Trump’s blood pressure was 122 over 74, and his total cholesterol was 223, which is higher than recommended.
Trump’s heart exam was normal, with regular rhythm and no abnormal sounds, which Jackson said led him to conclude with confidence that Trump “has a very strong and a very probable possibility of making it completely through his presidency with no medical issues.”
The president passed a battery of heart exams, including a stress test that Jackson said showed an above-average exercise capacity for a man of his age, despite some calcium buildup in his arteries. Jackson said Trump has avoided some big heart risks — he’s never smoked and isn’t diabetic — and has no family history of heart problems.
The 71-year-old president registered a perfect score on a cognitive screening test called the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which is not a standard exam for the checkup but which was requested by Trump. The doctor said he had “absolutely no concerns” about Trump’s cognitive abilities. He speculated that Trump requested the exam in an attempt to beat back the narrative of the past few weeks that he is mentally unfit for office.
“He’s very sharp. He’s very articulate when he speaks to me,” Jackson said. “I’ve never known him to repeat himself when he’s around me. I found no reason whatsoever to think the president has any issues whatsoever with his thought process.”
Trump’s cholesterol reading from Friday’s exam was borderline high even though he takes a low dose of the statin drug Crestor. Jackson said he would increase that dose in an effort to get Trump’s bad cholesterol, or LDL level, below 120; it currently is 143.
Trump’s body mass index, or BMI, of 29.9 puts him in the category of being overweight for his height. A BMI of 30 or over is considered obese.
Jackson said he prescribed a diet lower in fat and carbohydrates, and exercise. He’d like the president to lose 10 to 15 pounds over the next year.