Donald Trump Returned to Hospital for More Heart Tests 3 Months After Diagnosis, Physician Reveals

A summary of President Donald Trump’s latest physical exam revealed the 79-year-old underwent more cardiovascular tests and received updated vaccinations.

Trump, 79, traveled to Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday, Oct. 10, to deliver remarks to troops and get a “routine yearly check up,” as described by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, despite announcing previously that Trump had already completed his annual physical.

On Friday evening, White House physician Sean Barbabella released a summary of the exam in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

In the release, Barbabella shared that the president’s visit was “part of his ongoing health maintenance plan,” and included lab testing, advanced imaging, and “preventive health assessments.”

He noted that Trump underwent the testing to “ensure optimal cardiovascular health and continued wellness.”

Though Barbabella did not elaborate on the imaging or “preventive assessments” that were performed, he added that Trump’s laboratory results were “exceptional,” and that his cardiac age is “approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age.” According to the Heart Foundation, cardiac age is a metric that evaluates a person’s cardiovascular health and risk for heart attack in comparison to their chronological age.

In addition to the tests and imaging, Trump also received updated influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, per the letter viewed by PEOPLE.

“President Donald J. Trump remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance,” Barbarella wrote in the letter’s summary.

The White House doctor also shared that Trump “continues to maintain a demanding daily schedule without restriction.”

Much has been made of U.S. presidents’ annual physical exams, which are traditionally followed with a health report from the White House physician that gets shared with the public. The practice, dating back to Richard Nixon, aims to promote transparency and reaffirm confidence in the president’s capabilities — though it has become an increasingly political process with recent presidents whose age is a top concern.

Trump, the oldest American to be elected president, already had his annual check-up in April, after which his newly installed physician deemed him “fully fit” to serve.

“President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function,” Barbabella concluded in April.

Amid the White House chaos that consumed July — as the Trump administration faced bipartisan backlash over its handling of the Epstein files — the president made an unplanned follow-up visit to the doctor to investigate the cause of swelling in his lower legs.

A note from Dr. Barbabella shared on July 17 stated that Trump was “thoroughly examined” as a precaution, leading to a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, which he described as a “benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a form of venous disease that occurs when veins in your legs are damaged. As a result, these veins can’t manage blood flow as well as they should, and it’s harder for blood in your legs to return to your heart. CVI causes blood to pool in your leg veins, leading to high pressure in those veins.”

Barbabella insisted at the time that despite Trump’s new diagnosis, “The president remains in excellent health.”

Trump has also made headlines — and caused significant online speculation — over a recurring bruise on his right hand, which he has frequently attempted to conceal with makeup.

When asked about the bruise after photos first went viral back in February, press secretary Leavitt told reporters, “President Trump has bruises on his hand because he’s constantly working and shaking hands all day every day.”

Barbabella’s note in July addressed the bruising more formally, saying that it is “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”