Former N.Y. Mayor Koch Collapses, Rests in Hospital
Edward I. Koch collapsed Wednesday at a health club, but doctors said the former mayor was in satisfactory condition and had not suffered a stroke or heart attack.
“I’m in good shape. Nobody should worry about me,” Koch, 67, said from his hospital bed. “With God’s help I came through.”
Although Koch had an irregular heartbeat shortly after he regained consciousness, his heart was beating normally when he was tested at the hospital.
“He looks terrific, sounds fine. He’s in great spirits,” said Mayor David N. Dinkins, who succeeded Koch last year.
Koch, who suffered a minor stroke in 1987, collapsed as he was sitting down while feeling chest pain he likened to indigestion. He had postponed his workout because he was not feeling well, he said.
Dr. Joseph Tennenbaum, Koch’s cardiologist, said the former mayor would stay in Columbia Presbyterian Hospital for several days for tests.
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