Authorities took Taiwan former President Chen Shui-bian from his jail cell to a hospital when a doctor detected an irregular heartbeat after Chen's five-day hunger strike over his arrest on corruption charges.

A prison doctor examined the 57-year-old Chen on Nov. 16 and recommended his hospitalization, said Lee Ta-chu, an official at Tucheng Jail in suburban Taipei, where Chen had been held in solitary confinement since Nov. 12 while prosecutors investigate graft allegations against him.

Chen "is having difficulty breathing and is complaining of pain on the left side of his chest," Lee said. Chen was conscious when taken to the hospital, he said.

Chen agreed to allow doctors to inject him with glucose and saline, which stabilized his condition, but he is still suffering from a slow metabolism because of the prolonged fast.

Chen resumed the hunger strike Nov. 18.