New York ( CNN ) -- Former President Bill Clinton left the hospital Friday morning after doctors performed a procedure to restore blood flow in one of his coronary arteries , longtime friend Terry McAuliffe told CNN . Clinton , 63 , was hospitalized at New York-Presbyterian Hospital 's Columbia campus after experiencing brief periods of discomfort in his chest over several days , according to Dr. Allan Schwartz , the hospital 's chief of cardiology . Two stents were used to restore blood flow to a coronary artery Thursday after images revealed that a bypass graft -- part of a quadruple bypass surgery that Clinton underwent in 2004 -- was blocked , Schwartz said . An electrocardiogram and a blood test showed no evidence of a heart attack , Schwartz said . `` If I know Bill Clinton , he 's going to get right back on the phone , '' McAuliffe , a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee , told CNN on Friday . `` Yesterday as they were wheeling him into the operating room , they literally had to take the phone out of his hand as they were wheeling him in to surgery . `` He was on a conference call dealing with Haiti . And I guarantee you as soon as he gets back today he 'll be back on the phone . '' Schwartz said the need for the procedure had nothing to do with Clinton 's post-bypass diet or exercise , which Schwartz called excellent . Rather , Schwartz said , this is `` part of the natural history '' of the bypass treatment . `` He really toed the line in terms of diet and exercise . He really followed the program , '' Schwartz said , adding he told Clinton that he 'd be allowed to return to work Monday . The stents have opened the artery that the blocked bypass graft was supposed to service , Schwartz said . Stents are tiny balloons that are threaded into a patient 's heart vessels where they are inflated , pushing plaque against the vessel wall and increasing blood flow . The graft 's blockage is n't unheard of , because that particular type of graft has a 10 percent to 20 percent failure rate after six years , Schwartz said . However , a bypass graft at a different artery -- the main artery in the front of Clinton 's heart -- still looks `` pristine , '' Schwartz said . `` We know from multiple studies that if that bypass is open at this point ... it will remain open , '' he said . Stents and chest pain explained . Schwartz said Clinton was up and walking about two hours after Thursday 's procedure . In a written statement , Douglas Band , counselor to the former president , said : `` President Clinton is in good spirits and will continue to focus on the work of his foundation and Haiti 's relief and long-term recovery efforts . '' Clinton 's daughter , Chelsea Clinton , and wife , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , were with him at the hospital Thursday night , Schwartz said . Hillary Clinton was scheduled to leave Friday on a planned trip to the Middle East , but her departure has been delayed until Saturday , a senior U.S. official said . Bill Clinton has n't left the public eye since he departed the White House in 2001 , maintaining an active schedule devoted to global philanthropic interests and speeches . Since the January 12 earthquake that hit Haiti , he has traveled there twice in his latest role as the U.N. special envoy . On February 3 , U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon placed Clinton in charge of overseeing aid and reconstruction efforts there . Clinton also attended the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland , in January . David Gergen , CNN senior political analyst , said Clinton was `` exhausted '' and had a cold after returning from his second trip to Haiti earlier this month . Clinton had busy schedule before heart procedure . Clinton 's 2004 surgery was performed at the same hospital where he was admitted Thursday . Doctors in 2005 operated again on Clinton to remove scar tissue and fluid that had built up after his bypass surgery . Dr. Spencer King , president of St. Joseph 's Heart and Vascular Institute in Atlanta , Georgia , rejected as outdated suggestions that Clinton needs to slow down . `` This is kind of a '50s concept , '' he told CNN in a telephone interview Thursday . `` Now , we 've got a lot of fantastic ways to prevent progression of heart disease -- medications , things that can be done . The outlook for people is totally different . '' `` If he slows down , he slows down , '' said King , who who has not treated Clinton . But , he added , `` It would be very hard to show any data that would tell you he 'll have more trouble if he hangs it up . '' King said Thursday 's stenting procedure may not be the end of Clinton 's heart woes . `` The problem there is that that vein graft is developing disease and sometimes it goes on and develops more , '' he said . `` There 's a substantial chance over the next three , four , five years that it could close up again . '' CNN 's John King , Ed Henry , Jessica Yellin , Elise Labott and Elizabeth Landau contributed to this report .
NEW : Clinton in hospital Friday morning , former DNC chairman says . Tuesday : Cable installed during the bypass surgery was blocked . Thursday 's stent procedure opened artery that graft was supposed to open . Former president came to hospital after feeling intense pain over several days .