VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY, WHO HAS A LONG HISTORY OF HEART AILMENTS, WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE TESTS SATURDAY TO CHECK ON REPAIRED ANEURYSMS ON THE BACK OF HIS KNEES AND THE CONDITION OF A HIGH-TECH PACEMAKER PLACED IN HIS CHEST IN JUNE 2001. CHENEY, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS SECURITY DETAIL AND CARRYING A NEWSPAPER, WALKED INTO A REAR ENTRANCE AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER AT ABOUT 7 A.M. (1100GMT). HE DID NOT SPEAK TO REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS. THE VICE PRESIDENT'S TESTS WERE TO INCLUDE AN ELECTROCARDIOGRAM, CHENEY'S SPOKESWOMAN, LEA ANNE MCBRIDE, SAID EARLIER. AFTER THE TESTS, CHENEY WAS TO FLY TO FLORIDA TO WATCH THE LAUNCH OF THE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY AND THEN ATTEND THE PEPSI 400 NASCAR RACE AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY. «THIS IS HIS YEARLY, ROUTINE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION,» MCBRIDE SAID. SHE SAID CHENEY WAS IN GOOD HEALTH AND WOULD UNDERGO A COMPREHENSIVE CARDIAC EVALUATION IN THE FALL, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. CHENEY HAS HAD FOUR HEART ATTACKS, QUADRUPLE BYPASS SURGERY AND TWO ARTERY-CLEARING ANGIOPLASTIES. LAST SEPTEMBER, CHENEY UNDERWENT SIX HOURS OF SURGERY FOR THE REPAIR OF POPLITEAL ANEURYSMS ON THE BACKS OF BOTH KNEES. MCBRIDE SAID DOCTORS PLANNED TO EXAMINE THE REPAIRED ANEURYSMS ON SATURDAY. AN ANEURYSM IS A BALLOONING WEAK SPOT IN AN ARTERY THAT CAN BURST IF LEFT UNTREATED.
