Bernie Sanders had a heart attack this week

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(CNN) - Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, suffered a heart attack, confirmed his campaign on Friday after he left the Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas.

"I want to thank the doctors, nurses and staff of the Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center for the excellent care they provided," Sanders said in a statement Friday. "After two and a half days in the hospital, I feel great, and after taking a short break, I hope to return to work."

Sanders' treating doctors, Arturo Marchand Jr., MD and Arjun Gururaj, MD, confirmed that the senator was diagnosed with a "myocardial infarction" and placed two stents in a blocked coronary artery, noting that "all other arteries were normal". Myocardial infarction is the medical term for a heart attack.

They added that the stay and treatment at the Sanders hospital were "without incident with good expected progress," and that he had been instructed to "continue with his personal physician."

Sanders, a Vermont senator, experienced "chest discomfort" at a campaign event Tuesday night, according to senior advisor Jeff Weaver.

READ : Bernie Sanders suffers "chest discomfort" and leaves the campaign "until further notice"

Weaver said Wednesday that Sanders "will cancel his events and appearances until further notice." On Thursday, his campaign confirmed that he will participate in the next Democratic primary debate on October 15 and that he plans to return home to Vermont in the next few days before participating in the debate.

Sanders' wife, Jane, said in a statement Thursday afternoon that her husband is "awake" and has not undergone any additional procedures "since stent insertion." He has spent the last days having fun, talking to the people, friends and family and so many supporters who have called and his friends and then, of course, the supporters who have tweeted, written by email, called, to all our phones. And we really want to thank you, ”said Jane Sanders.

Sanders also tweeted late on Wednesday afternoon about his health, relating it to one of the central themes of his campaign.

READ : What would the “Medicare for all” that Sanders and Biden talk about?

“Thank you for all the good wishes. I feel good. I am fortunate to have good medical care and excellent doctors and nurses who help me recover, ”he wrote, before quickly returning to his central political message:“ None of us know when a medical emergency could affect us. And no one should fear going bankrupt if it happens. Medicare for everyone! ”

Gregory Krieg, Jeff Zeleny, Jacqueline Howard, Ryan Nobles and Annie Grayer of CNN contributed to this report.