Former vice-president Dick Cheney at his home outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming during an exclusive interview with USA TODAY on Oct. 14, 2013.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney died from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said in a statement announcing his death on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Cheney, who served as vice president under President George W. Bush, died on Monday night at 84, the statement said. The former vice president had long dealt with a history heart problems.

"Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing. We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man," the statement said.

An extensive history of heart issues, a heart transplant

Cheney survived five heart attacks during his lifetime, suffering the first one during his first congressional campaign at 37. As a congressional member, he suffered two additional heart attacks. The fourth occurred following the presidential election in 2000 as a battle ensued over who was the winning candidate.

Cheney had a cardiac defibrillator implanted as vice president. In February 2010, he had a fifth heart attack after leaving office. Five months later, he was outfitted with a device that helped pump blood and compensate for increasing heart congestion. He underwent a heart transplant in March 2012 and a quadruple bypass surgery in 1988.

Cheney once revealed that he had the wireless function of his defibrillator turned off due to concerns terrorists might attempt to send his heart a fatal shock remotely, according to the Associated Press.

His condition inspired him to co-author a book with cardiologist Jonathan Reiner titled Heart: An American Medical Odyssey.

In an interview with USA TODAY in 2013, Reiner said the following of Cheney's condition: "He has the longest history of heart disease of any of my patients...He has the most complex history in terms of how difficult his disease became, the most number of moving parts. And he happens to be Dick Cheney."

The vice president denied claims that he might've received preferential health care treatment. "It's not true," he told USA TODAY at age 72 in an interview about his heart transplant.

He dedicated his book "to my family, my medical team, and the donor of my heart." At the time of his USA TODAY interview, Cheney was also an organ donor.

Speaking of his transplant, which alleviated him of his heart ailments, Cheney said: "And all that's left to show that I was a heart patient was that scar on my chest."

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dick Cheney's cause of death confirmed by family

Reporting by Michelle Del Rey and Susan Page, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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