The heart procedure 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh underwent Thursday was not his first to correct an accelerated heartbeat, after having a different procedure done during his playing days.
Harbaugh said doctors performed a “cardiovert,” an electrical procedure to correct the accelerated heartbeat. He said when he underwent an ablasion during his time with the Chargers (1999-2000), he missed a few days of practices, according to Mike Sando of ESPN.com.
He said doctors recommended he improve his diet and cut down on his caffeine intake, but otherwise he was given no restrictions on time he can spend at work.
He laughed when asked if he was a candidate for burnout, telling reporters he was “fine” and saying it did not cause him to “peel back the onion and get introspective” about his own mortality.
In short, he’s probably a model patient for the poor doctor, who had the nerve to keep him out of work for a few hours. We wish him a full and speedy recovery, such that the coaching lifestyle is conducive to good health.