Broyles to be hospitalized for irregular heartbeat again

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles said he didn't plan to attend Friday's Arkansas-LSU football game _ or even to watch it on television. <br/><br/>He'll be

Friday, November 26th 2004, 5:19 am

By: News On 6

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles said he didn't plan to attend Friday's Arkansas-LSU football game _ or even to watch it on television.

He'll be in a hospital instead. Broyles said he would check himself into a hospital Friday for treatment of an irregular heartbeat, and stay at least through the weekend.

Broyles, a former Arkansas football coach, said he doesn't plan to watch the game because it might cause too much stress. He said he'll wait to find out the score after the game.

The 79-year-old Broyles was treated at Washington Regional Medical Center on Oct. 19 through Oct. 26 for the same problem and has been taking medication for more a month to help regulate his heartbeat. He said he has been taking blood thinners, but it has not worked.

He said Wednesday that he will seek treatment at the same facility in Fayetteville.

He could return home as early as Monday. But if additional medication does not work, Broyles said, he will undergo shock treatment and be forced to stay an extra day.

This will be the fourth time in a year Broyles has been hospitalized to have his heart rate monitored. He has been taking heart medication for 10 years.

Stress probably caused his heart to start beating irregularly, Broyles said. His wife, Barbara, died Oct. 13 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He stayed home with her for about a month before she died.

``I just have irregular beats and I discovered it the last few days of Barbara's life and it won't go back,'' he said. ``I feel my pulse and it's just irregular. So 30 days later you go back in and they get you on the monitor and try different medicines to get it back into rhythm.''