MP diagnoses fellow politician's heart problems

Within days of mentioning to a fellow MP that he was experiencing pain while walking up stairs, Chris Auchinvole had a stent put in an artery late last week. Photo / supplied

A fellow National Party MP - and doctor - helped discover colleague and former West Coast-Tasman MP Chris Auchinvole had heart problems.

Within days of mentioning to fellow National MP and doctor Paul Hutcheson that he was experiencing pain while walking up stairs, he had a stent put in an artery late last week.

Mr Auchinvole said today he was feeling better than he had in a long time, but had been told he could not work for three weeks.

"The cardio unit in Wellington kindly put a stent in an artery that they found was 90 per cent occluded."

He is not allowed to fly overseas for two months.

"Back to work when Parliament re-sits."

Mr Auchinvole had been due to visit Scotland over Easter to see where a plane his father was a passenger in crashed shortly before the end of World War II.

He said today that little had been lost by having to postpone the trip, and he would talk to the parliamentary whip about when it could be rescheduled.

With the angina cured - he stressed he did not have a heart attack - he said he felt re-energised.

"I asked the doctors 'what did I do wrong?' I had low blood pressure and cholesterol.

"They said I was Scottish, a male, and I smoked for 40 years, although I don't now."

Mr Auchinvole said he felt "extraordinarily fortunate" the condition was caught before he landed in Scotland.