President Biden 'Remains Fit for Duty,' His Doctor Says

WASHINGTON -- President Biden has a stiffened gait but is otherwise in good health and is fit to continue in office, his personal physician said Thursday.

"The president remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations," wrote Kevin O'Connor, DO, in a memo to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Biden, 80, reported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Thursday morning for a routine physical. O'Connor's report from that encounter reviewed the president's current conditions, which include:

Non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The president is completely asymptomatic, with a rate of 69 and no acute ST or T wave changes, O'Connor wrote, adding, "He remains stable on apixiban (Eliquis) for standard anticoagulation."

Hyperlipidemia. The president's lipid levels "remain remarkably low" on his current regimen of rosuvastatin (Crestor), O'Connor said. His lipid panel showed a total cholesterol of 115 mg/dL, triglycerides 87 mg/dL, HDL 46 mg/dL, and LDL 58 mg/dL.

GERD. "President Biden experiences occasional symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, primarily having to clear his throat more often," O'Connor wrote. "This may also contribute to occasional cough and sinus congestion. His symptoms are typically exacerbated shortly after meals." Biden will continue his current regimen of famotidine (Pepcid), O'Connor said.

Seasonal allergies. Biden's symptoms have improved after several sinus and nasal passage surgeries, but he continues to use fluticasone/azelastine (Dymista) and over-the-counter fexofenadine (Allegra) as needed.

Moderate to severe degenerative osteoarthritic change/spondylosis. O'Connor said he noticed at the president's last exam in November 2021 that Biden "was demonstrating a perceptibly stiffened ambulatory gait" that he hadn't had prior to breaking his foot in November 2020. O'Connor had a team of specialists look at the results of a physical exam and radiologic imaging; they found that "his stiffness is in fact a result of degenerative osteoarthritic changes of his spine. Moderate to severe spondylosis was demonstrated at multiple levels, but did not result in nerve root compression significant enough that they would warrant any specific treatment."

O'Connor said the president's "gait remains stiff, but has not worsened since last year. Examination this year was unchanged, with the exception of possibly tighter hamstrings and calves."

A neurological exam "was again reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, or ascending lateral sclerosis. This exam did again support a mild peripheral neuropathy in both feet" but it seemed slightly better than before, "in that the area of subtle heat/cold sensation deficit seems less pronounced and has decreased in size." Although diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, the president doesn't have diabetes; his hemoglobin A1c and fasting glucose are both normal, O'Connor said.

The president also underwent a skin cancer screening exam. "President Biden did spend a good deal of time in the sun in his youth," wrote O'Connor, noting that the president has previously had several non-melanoma skin cancers removed via Mohs surgery, with completely clear margins. On Thursday's visit, "one small lesion on the president's chest was excised and sent for traditional biopsy. Results are pending," he said.

In other testing, a comprehensive metabolic panel -- including electrolytes, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, protein, and liver enzymes -- was normal, as was Biden's urinalysis and complete blood count. The report also listed the president's bout of COVID-19 last July, with O'Connor noting that having been fully vaccinated and twice boosted, Biden experienced only mild symptoms.

"President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief," O'Connor concluded.

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