Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Nicholas Brendon has been hospitalized following a cardiac episode.
The 51-year-old actor, who is best known for playing Xander Harris on the WB vampire drama, was taken to a local hospital for treatment shortly before his loved ones shared a social media update on his prognosis.
“Nicky sends his love and wanted me to apologize that he hasn’t been going live as much lately and to give everyone an update,” a Monday, August 15, note shared via his Instagram read alongside a carousel of hospital and ambulance photos. “Nicky is doing fine now but he had to be rushed to emergency about two weeks ago because of a cardiac incident (tachycardia/arrhythmia).”
According to the Mayo Clinic, arrhythmia is defined as an irregular heart rhythm that can cause tachycardia. Tachycardia can ultimately lead to heart failure, stroke or sudden cardiac death.
Monday’s note also indicated that the Criminal Minds alum had a similar “incident” last year after spinal surgery. Nicholas underwent two procedures — in February and October 2021 — to treat Cauda Equina syndrome, which occurs when there is dysfunction of multiple nerve roots at the end of the spinal cord.
“If you’re somewhere impacted with ice, be careful. With a rare condition and a slip a week ago, I’m having spinal surgery in 1 hour,” he wrote via Instagram that February. “Sarah [Allison, his then-girlfriend, is] updating everyone on Facebook. May you be happy, may you be healthy, and may you be safe.”
Allison, for her part, later shared further heath updates via her social media.
“He’s looking at 4-5 days recovery in ICU after his surgery,” 1 of a Kind Mind founder, who was linked to Brendon last year, wrote at the time. “Sweet man says he’ll be back to finishing the fence in no time. But sweet boy is also [a] clumsy boy who has two broken phones and only broken tablets now he can’t even hardly keep the camera going although the mic is impossible to keep on.”
She added: “His mental health is as important to me as his physical health is and if he’s not able to listen to Bob’s Burgers throughout his duration in recovery, with the blinding lights, the confinement to a bed/facility, and being stuck without his daily activities which keep him at ease staying busy, IDK how he’ll make it without trying to leave.”
However, Brendon’s recent health scare has proven to be different. “But this time, he is trying to get a little more rest and has been concentrating on medical appointments,” Monday’s Instagram update concluded.
