US Senator Bernie Sanders taken to hospital after chest pains

Election campaign team says he is 'conversing and in good spirits'

FILE PHOTO: 2020 Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders at Georgetown University's Gaston Hall in Washington, U.S., September 19, 2019. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo
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US Senator Bernie Sanders has stopped campaigning for the presidency after being taken to hospital on Tuesday with chest pains, his office said on Wednesday.

Doctors inserted two stents after finding a block in one of Mr Sanders' arteries.

"Senator Sanders is conversing and in good spirits," senior campaign adviser Jeff Weaver said. "He will be resting up over the next few days.

"We are cancelling his events and appearances until further notice, and we will continue to provide appropriate updates."

Mr Sanders, 78, was in Las Vegas when he felt discomfort during a campaign event on Tuesday and sought medical evaluation.

The two stents were successfully inserted and Mr Sanders "is conversing and in good spirits", his campaign office said.

His wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders, was on her way to Las Vegas on Wednesday and said that her husband was “doing really well”.

Tick Segerblom, a Clark County commissioner who was at Mr Sanders’ fund-raiser on Tuesday, said he seemed fine at the time.

“He spoke well.," Mr Segerblom said. "He jumped up on the stage. There was just nothing visible."

The Democratic field’s oldest candidate, Mr Sanders sometimes jokingly refers to his age at town halls and other events, especially when interacting with younger people.

His aides have tried to project him as a candidate with energy levels that surpassed his 2016 presidential campaign.

Mr Sanders is one of three candidates over age 70 in the Democratic primary, which has spurred debate over whether the party should rally behind a new generation of political leaders.

His health problem is certain to revive that discussion in the weeks before the next presidential debate this month.