Peres remains in serious but stable condition Thursday morning

After slight improvements were seen in the former president's condition on Wednesday, he remained in serious but stable condition.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH, GREER FAY CASHMAN
Updated: SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 12:25
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Former president Shimon Peres remained in serious but stable condition on Thursday morning after suffering a stroke on Tuesday night, according to his office.
Slight improvements in his condition were seen Wednesday night according to Prof. Amit Segev, one of the senior doctors treating the former president.
"Peres is showing slight signs of recovery," Segev explained, "He responds to the environment, when given a lower dose of anesthesia he moves his hands and attempts to remove the breathing tube."
"We will attempt to wean him of the ventilator and I am almost certain he will succeed," Segev added.
On Wednesday, Dr. Yitzhak Kreiss Director of Sheba Medical Center, where Peres is being treated, said in a press conference that the senior statesman's condition had "somewhat improved."
Kreiss said that doctors had opted not to perform surgery on the retired statesman at the moment.
The veteran 93-year-old politician had just last week undergone placement of a cardiac pacemaker at the hospital and was discharged in good condition. He returned to the hospital for a checkup, but suddenly suffered a stroke.
Peres's personal Dr. Rafi Walden said that during the night he had been responsive and held family member's hands.
Ayelet Frish, the former president’s communications consultant, said Tuesday that Peres “woke up this morning at his home with palpitations and a feeling of constriction in his chest.”
Peres had complained of chest pains and had difficulty breathing. His personal physician is also his son-in-law, Prof. Rafi Walden, who is a leading surgeon and deputy director of Sheba. After hearing of his complaints, he took him to the hospital for tests.
It was learned late on Tuesday that he suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures (usually caused by uncontrolled hypertension).
It is also unknown whether there was any connection between the insertion of the pacemaker – to ensure a regular heartbeat – and the stroke.
Sheba director-general Prof. Kreiss said that Peres, in the intensive care unit, had suffered “lots of bleeding.”


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