George W. Bush undergoes successful heart surgery

Former US President George W. Bush underwent a successful surgery for a blocked artery in his heart, after a routine annual checkup discovered the issue. 

The 67-year-old former president went into surgery on Tuesday in Dallas, Texas at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, only a day after the blockage was discovered during his annual exam at the Cooper Clinic in the same city, wrote Reuters. 

Read more from GlobalPost: George W. Bush gets positive approval ratings 

According to a statement from Bush's office, the former president "is in high spirits, eager to return home tomorrow and resume his normal schedule on Thursday." 

Bush currently resides in North Dallas with his wife, Laura, though he also regularly spends time at his Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas — his favorite venue for brush-clearing stints during vacation while he was the Commander-in-Chief. 

Bush was always known for his adherence to a strict health schedule during his time in the White House, including regular jogging, mountain-bike riding, and an early bed time.

However, even fit, healthy middle-aged men can find themselves vulnerable to heart disease — thus Bush's suggestion in the official statement that everyone get regular checkups. 

During his time in office, Bush also appears to have contracted Lyme disease, a tick-borne ailment that is common in the northeastern US.