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‘Modern Family’ Star Reveals Secret Health Battle

Julie Bowen, who portrayed Claire Dunphy on the hit show, said she got a pacemaker at only 29.

Modern Family star Julie Bowen, who played Claire Dunphy on the ABC sitcom, revealed that she got a pacemaker at just 29-years-old. Bowen, 55, told “Inside of You” podcast host Michael Rosenbaum Tuesday that her sister was the one who pushed her to see a cardiologist. “She was in med school, and she was at that time in her life when I guess she always carried around a stethoscope,” Bowen recalled. After listening to her heart rate, Bowen’s sister told her to go to a cardiologist immediately. Bowen said her initial reaction was “I’m fine,” but her sister “would not let it go.” A month later, Bowen was shooting the pilot of the NBC show Ed and “immediately had to go get a pacemaker afterwards.” Bowen was diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome with hypervagotonia, which caused her heart rate to drop dangerously low. She said the doctors told her that she could pass out while driving and kill somebody, to which Bowen replied: “Oh, then give me the goddamn pacemaker.” At the time, Bowen thought that “my life is over” and “I’m going to die,” but says she doesn’t even notice her pacemaker anymore. “I forget about that all the time,” she told Rosenbaum.