Arnold Schwarzenegger was rushed into surgery for an emergency heart operation at the age of 70.

The actor and former California governor was taken to Cedars-Sinai hospital in LA on Thursday for a catheter valve replacement - but developed complications while he was there.

As a result, doctors took the decision to give him emergency open-heart surgery in an operation that lasted several hours, TMZ reports.

The Terminator star is still recovering in hospital but is said to be in a stable condition.

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(Image: Getty Images North America)

(Image: REUTERS)

Arnie has previously experienced heart difficulties in 1997 when he needed an aortic valve replacement.

It comes months after the star schooled Donald Trump in how to condemn Nazis after the white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia last August.

Arnie decided to help his US Apprentice predecessor out by rewriting the president's response to the march, which was widely condemned.

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Trump drew criticism for claiming there was blame on "both sides" of the clashes, suggesting there were "fine people" among the neo-Nazis and suggesting equivalence with the anti-fascist counter protest.

Arnold hit out at the President and pledged to donate $100,000 to anti-hate organisation the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

“There are not two sides to bigotry. There are not two sides to hatred. And if you choose to march with a flag that symbolises the slaughter of millions of people, there are not two sides.

“The only way to beat the loud, angry voices of hate is to meet them with louder, more reasonable voices.

“And that includes you, President Trump.”