Blair: I drank too much coffee
2003-10-21 08:18
London - British Prime Minister Tony Blair believes a heart scare that had to be treated in hospital at the weekend could have been triggered by drinking too much strong coffee at the European Summit in Brussels last week, The Independent newspaper said on Tuesday.
"He is saying that he drank a lot of coffee at the summit," a Blair aide told the newspaper.
"He obviously felt the need for it to keep him going. It is possible that he had too much strong, continental coffee," the aide was quoted as saying.
"Perhaps he should have stuck to herbal tea," the aide added.
Blair, 50, was taken to hospital in London on Sunday after complaining of chest pains. Doctors diagnosed irregular heartbeat and gave him a treatment to make it regular.
He was allowed to return to Downing Street in the evening after spending about five hours under medical surveillance.
His office said he had suffered a relatively common disorder that was easily treated.