South Carolina's 76-year-old governor McMaster to undergo procedure to fix minor irregular heartbeat

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster plans to be put under anesthesia Friday to fix a minor irregular heartbeat, his office said.

The 76-year-old governor is being treated for atrial fibrillation where some chambers of the heart beat out of sync with the others, his office said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

McMaster underwent a similar procedure nearly two years ago. His cardiologist Dr. Amy Rawl Epps said the elective procedure should take about two to three hours.

She called it relatively simple and said the governor has undergone extensive tests that show his heart appears normal and has “no evidence of significant coronary artery disease,” according to a statement from McMaster's office.

If the procedure is successful, McMaster can return home in hours, the doctor said.

But since he is being put under, McMaster is letting Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette know. According to the state constitution, the lieutenant governor can act as the governor in an emergency if the governor is temporarily disabled.

The heart problem was first detected in April 2022 when McMaster was scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery after suffering a slight meniscus tear while playing tennis with his wife. A pre-operation electrocardiogram discovered the condition.

McMaster is the oldest governor in South Carolina history and the third-oldest governor who is current serving in the U.S.