What should we know about presidential candidates’ health?

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
7 minute read
Updated 11:37 AM EDT, Mon September 12, 2016
A<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16462555" target="_blank" target="_blank"> study </a>by Duke psychiatrists found John Adams would have been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder.
John Adams 1797-1801 —
A study by Duke psychiatrists found John Adams would have been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder.
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William Henry Harrison battled with dyspepsia and indigestion. Before he had been in office a month, he caught a cold that developed into pneumonia. On April 4, 1841, he became the first president to die while in office.<br />
William Henry Harrison, March-April 1841 —
William Henry Harrison battled with dyspepsia and indigestion. Before he had been in office a month, he caught a cold that developed into pneumonia. On April 4, 1841, he became the first president to die while in office.
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/18/us/gallery/tbt-abraham-lincoln-portraits/">Abraham Lincoln</a> is widely thought to have suffered from depression.
Abraham Lincoln, 1860-1865 —
Abraham Lincoln is widely thought to have suffered from depression.
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The<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16462555" target="_blank" target="_blank"> study </a>by Duke psychiatrists found Ulysses S. Grant would have been diagnosed as an alcoholic with social phobias. <br />
Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877 —
The study by Duke psychiatrists found Ulysses S. Grant would have been diagnosed as an alcoholic with social phobias.
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/09/28/forgotten.presidents/index.html?eref=yahoo">Chester Arthur </a>was diagnosed with Bright's disease, a fatal kidney condition, after a year in office. He did not seek a second term and died less than two years after leaving office.
Chester Arthur, 1881-1885 —
Chester Arthur was diagnosed with Bright's disease, a fatal kidney condition, after a year in office. He did not seek a second term and died less than two years after leaving office.
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Grover Cleveland suffered from obesity and gout and was treated for cancer in his jaw while in office. <br /><br />"President Cleveland was one of the most compelling stories of concealment in the high office," said Jerrold Post, professor emeritus of psychiatry, political psychology and international affairs at George Washington University. "He was brushing his teeth one day and found a lump on roof of the mouth. Instead of telling the public, he smuggled his dentist, head and neck surgeon and surgical team onto a pleasure yacht, where they removed the roof of his mouth to get rid of the carcinoma. He emerged a week later complaining of a toothache."
Grover Cleveland, 1885-1889 and 1893-1897 —
Grover Cleveland suffered from obesity and gout and was treated for cancer in his jaw while in office.

"President Cleveland was one of the most compelling stories of concealment in the high office," said Jerrold Post, professor emeritus of psychiatry, political psychology and international affairs at George Washington University. "He was brushing his teeth one day and found a lump on roof of the mouth. Instead of telling the public, he smuggled his dentist, head and neck surgeon and surgical team onto a pleasure yacht, where they removed the roof of his mouth to get rid of the carcinoma. He emerged a week later complaining of a toothache."
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/06/opinion/avlon-teddy-roosevelt-100-years/">Theodore Roosevelt </a>suffered from asthma and was blind in one eye as the result of a boxing injury in 1905. He was also deaf in one ear. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16462555" target="_blank" target="_blank"> </a><br />The <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16462555" target="_blank" target="_blank">2006 study </a>by Duke psychiatrists applied today's diagnostic criteria to historical records and found Roosevelt would have been diagnosed with bipolar.
Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909 —
Theodore Roosevelt suffered from asthma and was blind in one eye as the result of a boxing injury in 1905. He was also deaf in one ear.
The 2006 study by Duke psychiatrists applied today's diagnostic criteria to historical records and found Roosevelt would have been diagnosed with bipolar.
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Woodrow Wilson had <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/28/politics/woodrow-wilson-biography-berg/">a debilitating stroke in 1919</a> that left him partially paralyzed while in office. According to Jerrold Post, Wilson had suffered several strokes while he served as president of Princeton but never revealed his medical history to voters.<br /><br />While in office, "he suffered a massive stroke, but they concealed it and just said he was under the weather and no one was informed," Post said.
Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921 —
Woodrow Wilson had a debilitating stroke in 1919 that left him partially paralyzed while in office. According to Jerrold Post, Wilson had suffered several strokes while he served as president of Princeton but never revealed his medical history to voters.

While in office, "he suffered a massive stroke, but they concealed it and just said he was under the weather and no one was informed," Post said.
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt was <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/10/31/roosevelt.polio.reut/">paralyzed in both legs</a>, likely as a result of polio that struck when he was 39. But it was the cover-up of his advanced heart disease and elevated blood pressure when he ran for his fourth term that historians question. FDR died just a few months after that election. <br />
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933-1945 —
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was paralyzed in both legs, likely as a result of polio that struck when he was 39. But it was the cover-up of his advanced heart disease and elevated blood pressure when he ran for his fourth term that historians question. FDR died just a few months after that election.
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Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered from ongoing gastrointestinal problems. He was later diagnosed with <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/07/health/crohns-disease-explained/">Crohn's disease</a>.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953-1961 —
Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered from ongoing gastrointestinal problems. He was later diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
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