Maryland Sen. Van Hollen released from hospital after stroke

Washington CNN  — 

Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Sunday he’s been released from the hospital after suffering a “minor stroke” last week.

“It’s great to be back home after a long week. I’m grateful for the generous outpouring of support from everyone and the dedicated care I received from the team at GW,” the Maryland Democrat tweeted.

The lawmaker was admitted to George Washington University Hospital after he had been “experiencing lightheadedness and acute neck pain” while delivering a speech in his home state, according to a previous statement. He said in the statement at the time he had sought medical help upon returning home at a doctor’s recommendation.

Van Hollen, who is up for reelection this year, said his doctors told him “there are no long-term effects or damage as a result of this incident.”

His hospitalization served as another reminder of Democrats’ thin majority in the 50-50 Senate, where they cannot afford to lose any votes.

Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico returned to work in March after suffering a stroke earlier this year.

Earlier Sunday, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for the commonwealth’s open Senate seat, was released from the hospital nine days after he checked in and was found to have suffered a stroke.

Fetterman won his Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday while in the hospital in Lancaster and underwent a nearly three-hour surgery the same day to implant a defibrillator.

Strokes are often identified by a sudden, severe headache, vision problems in one or both eyes, trouble walking, paralysis or numbness in the face or limbs, and trouble speaking or understanding others, according to the Mayo Clinic.

While strokes are a leading cause of death in the United States and can cause disabilities, they are treatable, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.