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Fluid related to heart disease. nbc's mike viqueira's outside the washington university center in washington. what is the latest there behind you? >> reporter: well, good morning, alex. dick cheney's heart history, the history of heart problems, five heart attacks since age 37, bypass operations and angioplasties, pacemaker inserted, when he comes here to george washington university hospital in downtown washington, people assume that it's heart related or perhaps a heart attack. nbc news learn he did not have a heart attack or chest pains. a couple weeks ago he was feeling discomfort, he flew...

Over there and then just days later these chest pains were not very strong at all. and then they got worse. you have talked to him? >> i haven't talked to him. i'm not going to try to talk to him. i'm sure he needs rest. i might try to call my friend doug band when things quiet down to get a first-hand report. look, he has what most people after bypass operations, is my understanding, talking to some doctors today, experienced. which is some coagulation and a need for a stent. all the stent is for all yours viewers is a contraption that keeps the artery open. it's quite common. i'm praying for...

The others, this is a classic case, isn't it, of a thing well done? >> reporter: yeah. i mean today -- first of all, larry, let me say i'm glad you're doing well. you didn't share that with me, but i'm glad to hear that the procedure you had a few weeks ago, you're feeling well. that's good news. this does happen and as dr. isom and dr. schwartz both pointed out this has more to do with the natural history of his heart disease. he had this bypass operation six years ago. i know a lot of people have had bypass operations they've done well for 20, 30 years. sometimes you get blockages that occur...

Buildup, not common in bypass operations. >> that was six months after the bypass operation. >> that was procedure was enormously painful for him. enormously. the recovery took an awfully long time. it took, i think, quite a long time. he's fine now. i saw him a couple months ago and had dinner with him. he's walking, exercising, playing golf. more disciplined about his food than he and i were in 1992 when we were eating our way across america. he's doing everything he can do. and what i keep coming back to, i'm so thrilled, nobody is saying he doesn't have to be bill clinton anymore. he cares...

Going to find that many people who have significant disease. >> the problem with ct angiograms is the radiation is incredibly high. they put out studies about that. >> there are risks to procedures that would diagnose this thing. it's a risk/benefit sort of thing. what was interesting about that interview, it was sort of the first time he really talked about the fact the operation, itself, did have impact on him. he really said he was doing fine. he felt great afterwards. admitted, it discombobulated me a little bit. >> paul, did you see that difference? >> big-time, anderson. i think frankly ...