Former US President Bill Clinton has been admitted to a New York hospital for heart bypass surgery.
The 58-year-old former president, who served two terms from 1993 to 2001, had gone to hospital on Thursday afternoon after experiencing mild chest pain and shortness of breath.
Clinton, the 42nd US President, promised at the Democratic convention in July to be a 'foot soldier' in Senator John Kerry's race against Republican President George W Bush.
Mr Kerry, campaigning in Ohio, sent Clinton 'our best wishes, our prayers and our thoughts', while President George Bush sent him best wishes for a 'swift and speedy recovery'.
Mr Clinton had only recently completed a visit to Ireland promoting the first volume of his autobiography.
