Kristo Enn Vaga reveals heart rhythm disorder after on-air collapse
Thursday 10th September 2026 on 10:45 in
Estonia
Estonian Reform Party secretary general and Member of Parliament Kristo Enn Vaga said he has a heart rhythm disorder after repeatedly losing consciousness during a live television programme on Wednesday evening, ERR reported.
Vaga said on social media that the incident occurred during the live broadcast of Esimene stuudio. He lost consciousness several times and was taken by ambulance to hospital, where he underwent examinations before being allowed to go home during the night.
He thanked the ambulance crew and the professional and supportive staff at ITK, as well as people who had sent messages and offered help.
Vaga said he was diagnosed with a heart rhythm disorder last spring. He had been reluctant to discuss it because he felt embarrassed that something could be wrong with a young person who was considered healthy and athletic.
He said repeated alerts from his Apple Watch, identifying atrial fibrillation, had led to the diagnosis. He also thanked the late Dr Le Vallikivi and other doctors who insisted that he should see a cardiologist, despite being only 28 and a former elite athlete.
Vaga said doctors had described the problem as a fault in the body’s electrical system. In high-voltage situations, his heart rate could become very high or pause. He said the condition did not interfere with his ordinary daily life, but that Wednesday’s brief blackout had reminded him that he could not always do everything at the fastest possible pace.
He said he would probably cancel the half-marathon he had planned to run on Saturday and pay more attention to his health. He also urged others to do the same, saying he hoped his story might prevent someone else from suffering a worse outcome.
Vaga apologised to the hosts and colleagues of the programme for being unable to take part in a full debate. He said he intended to remain available to the public and continue working to improve life in Estonia, support Ukraine and promote common sense in public discussion.