2023-10-11 05:08:00
The mayor of the City of Brussels Philippe Close (PS) underwent surgery on a coronary artery last week. “Nothing serious and I’m in great shape,” he reassures. The socialist felt pain during a long bike ride. “I was riding well when I felt pressure on my chest during the exercise,” he explains. “I then contacted my brother (cardiologist at the CHR in Namur, Editor’s note). “On his advice, I went for a scan. Doctors found that a coronary artery was 70% blocked.”
It was his brother who operated on him, at the CHR in Namur. Concretely, Philippe Close underwent a coronary angiography and had two stents placed on the partially blocked artery. This is a small spring or perforated metal tube placed in the coronary artery to restore blood flow. “It goes very quickly, less than an hour. And without general anesthesia. We don’t feel anything.” The only constraint: a mandatory night in the hospital because some people reject the stent.
Aged 52, the mayor of Brussels has had cholesterol levels that are too high for a long time, “even though I pay attention to my diet and almost never drink alcohol, maximum one or two beers per month.” This does not prevent him from carrying out regular medical examinations. “In Belgium, we are extremely fortunate to have effective social security. I take blood tests every year, I have regular health exams. That’s the key. I’m not a hypochondriac but I believe that you should go see your doctor when you are in good health, and have tests done before you get sick. After that, it’s too late.”
A sports enthusiast and, above all, a cycling enthusiast (road and mountain bike), the socialist will get back on his machine next week “gently”. “It’s hard but I have to stick with it. I ride whenever I can. Usually very early Saturday morning. I sometimes drive 80 to 100 kilometers in one go. It makes me feel really good.”
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