Milan, Apr 6 (IANS): Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was admitted to the intensive care unit of a Milan hospital, his party Forza Italia has confirmed.

News reports have said that he has severe cardiovascular problems, and had ongoing health issues for several years.

On Wednesday, Il Giornale, a Milan newspaper owned by the Berlusconi family, said the former Prime Minister had "difficulty breathing" but was in stable condition at San Raffaele Hospital, reports Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani said Berlusconi was "alert and speaking".

Berlusconi suffered from a serious case of Covid-19 in 2020, and has also overcome heart surgery and prostate cancer.

Forza Italia is a junior partner in the coalition supporting incumbent Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Berlusconi is a member of the Italian Senate.

He has headed four separate Italian governments between 1994 and 2011.

Berlusconi is also listed by Forbes Magazine as one of the world's top 500 billionaires, with a net worth of around $7 billion.

Most of his fortune comes from Mediaset, Italy's largest private broadcaster.