The longtime “Jeopardy!” host is expected to recover before production begins on the next season in July
Alex Trebek is continuing to improve after suffering a mild heart attack in Los Angeles Saturday. According to a statement sent from a Sony Television spokeswoman to ABC NEWS, Trebek is recovering well.
“Alex is up and about and in good spirits while doctors complete their testing at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. He has been moved to a regular room today and looks forward to returning home as soon as his doctors give him their approval,” said Sony’s Paula Askanas.
Alex Trebek, 71, the longtime Jeopardy! host, checked into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Saturday, according to Askanas, who added Trebek “is expected to fully recover and be back at Jeopardy! when production begins taping in July for the new season, the show’s 29th.”
This is Trebek’s second mild heart attack, having suffered one in 2007.
According to Dr. Christopher Cannon, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s hospital in Boston, “The biggest risk factor for a heart attack is having had one already.”
Trebek’s doctors are likely studying how much damage Trebek’s heart endured and the likelihood of his suffering another heart attack, according to Dr. Cam Patterson, physician-in-chief at the University of North Carolina Heart and Vascular Center.
“If there’s little damage to the heart muscle and his blood vessels look good, he should get back to normal very quickly,” said Patterson, who added, “My expectation is he has received excellent health care and has healthy habits, but has been dealt a bad hand by genetics that has predisposed him to heart damage,” Patterson said.
