Cheney leaves hospital

WASHINGTON - Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney left the hospital Friday after receiving assurances from doctors that his heart condition would not impair his ability to serve as vice president.

''There are no restrictions'' on his future activity, Cheney said as he walked out of George Washington Hospital two days after he checked himself in with chest pains.

Cheney said he spoke to his running mate, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, Thursday night. Asked what they talked about, he replied, ''Florida. That's what we always talk about.''

The presidential election still hinges on the Florida ballot counting and legal challenges.

Doctors have prescribed Plavix, a blood thinner, and told Cheney to take it daily for the next 30 days to reduce the likelihood of problems in the area where they inserted a metal device to widen an artery that had narrowed.

The doctors also told Cheney to take the weekend off and then return to a ''full, normal active life,'' he said.

Cheney said he and his doctors would review his exercise program and diet in the future. ''It's a reminder of the importance of living a normal health style.''

He said the 1991 Gulf War, when he was secretary of defense, was the ''ultimate stress'' for him and ''I have not found this situation nearly as stressful as that was.''

Plavix is a widely used new blood thinner routinely given to heart patients after undergoing angioplasty. There are rare cases linking the medication to a form of anemia. However, doctors say the benefits far outweigh the risk, which they describe as remote.

Cheney said he woke up about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday with chest pains and ''I became increasingly convinced it might be cardiac related'' when that pain continued. He said he reached the hospital less than an hour after the first sensation of discomfort.

''For someone like myself, who has a history of coronary artery disease, it's more like a sensation that something is going on that might be cardiac related,'' Cheney said.

He said he was sedated and ''fairly groggy'' after the procedure to insert a stent to open up a blocked artery.

The 59-year-old Cheney's examining physician said Thursday the patient was in good condition and that he looked great while resting up and enjoying Thanksgiving at George Washington University Hospital.

Hospital spokeswoman Lisa Saisselin said Cheney felt well enough on Thanksgiving to share ''turkey and all the trimmings'' at the hospital with his family.

Joining him for Thanksgiving dinner at the hospital were his wife, Lynne, his oldest daughter, Liz, her husband, Phil, and three granddaughters, Kate, Elizabeth and Grace.

Cheney said in a statement that he and his family ''appreciate all the kind thoughts and good wishes he's received from Americans across the country.''

Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Lieberman and Cheney spoke by telephone Thursday morning, with Lieberman wishing his Republican counterpart a speedy recovery and a happy Thanksgiving, said Kathleen Shanahan, Cheney's chief of staff.

Despite the extraordinary presidential election legal contest taking place in Florida, the two had a ''very cordial'' conversation and both vice presidential candidates said ''they would like to get together when this is all resolved,'' Shanahan said.

Aides to Bush said Cheney will be able to resume his duties with the campaign as it fights Democrat Al Gore for the clinching electoral votes in Florida.

After checking himself in to the hospital with chest pains, tests revealed that an artery had narrowed since his last heart checkup in 1996.

One of his arteries was 90 percent blocked and doctors performed an operation to prop it open. Later, the doctors learned Cheney actually had suffered a ''very slight'' heart attack.

Cheney suffered three heart attacks more than a decade ago and underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 1988 to clear clogged arteries. Doctors gave him a clean bill of health when Bush chose him as his running mate this summer.