Heart condition tied to Lindsey Graham's death can strike without warning — what to know

New specifications surrounding Sen. Lindsey Graham's abrupt decease person drawn attraction to a cardiovascular emergency that tin go fatal wrong minutes.

On Sunday, a connection released by Graham's office cited preliminary findings from nan District of Columbia's Office of nan Chief Medical Examiner, identifying nan origin of decease arsenic an aortic dissection owed to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Authorities said Graham, 71, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, wherever he was pronounced dormant astatine 10:23 p.m. Saturday. An autopsy was completed Sunday.

MEDICAL EXAMINER RELEASES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS IN LINDSEY GRAHAM'S DEATH AS DEATH CERTIFICATE REMAINS PENDING

"The decease certificate will beryllium PENDING until each nan toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized, and astatine that constituent nan decease certificate will beryllium updated to bespeak nan origin of decease and appropriately categorize nan mode of death," nan connection said.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Graham's agency requesting comment.

New specifications surrounding Sen. Lindsey Graham's abrupt decease person drawn caller attraction to a cardiovascular emergency that tin go fatal wrong minutes. (Getty Images)

What is an aortic dissection?

An aortic dissection is simply a life-threatening aesculapian emergency successful which a tear develops successful nan soul furniture of nan aorta — nan body's largest artery, according to Mayo Clinic.

Blood rushes done nan tear and causes nan layers of nan aortic wall to separate, which tin disrupt blood flow to captious organs aliases lead to a fatal rupture if not treated immediately.

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"It occurs erstwhile nan layers of nan aorta travel isolated and nan soul 1 tears," Fox News elder aesculapian expert Dr. Marc Siegel, who did not dainty Graham, told Fox News Digital.

"It tin travel connected successful minutes aliases days and whitethorn beryllium difficult to recognize," he added, noting that while dissections tin germinate complete time, symptoms often look suddenly.

A spontaneous coronary artery dissection is simply a rare, sometimes fatal traumatic information that tin disrupt humor travel to captious organs aliases lead to a fatal rupture if not treated immediately. (iStock)

Dr. Kenneth Perry, an emergency physician based successful South Carolina, said nan champion measurement to visualize nan information is to deliberation of nan aorta arsenic a hose.

"The wall of nan hose has aggregate layers to it, and if nan layers separate, nan h2o tin nary longer walk down nan regular opening successful nan tube," Perry, who besides was not progressive successful Graham's care, told Fox News Digital. "Often, this starts arsenic a very mini tear that keeps progressing because of nan h2o pressure."

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"The aforesaid point is happening successful nan aorta," he went on. "The mini tear successful nan wall of nan aorta continues to progress, usually from severely elevated blood pressure."

As nan tear continues past nan smaller arteries coming from nan aorta, humor tin nary longer travel from nan bosom to nan different organs.

Sen. Lindsey Graham talks pinch reporters successful nan U.S. Capitol during votes connected Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Authorities said Graham, 71, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, wherever he was pronounced dormant astatine 10:23 p.m. Saturday. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"This causes nan organs that request that humor to dice from deficiency of oxygen," Perry said. "The only measurement to past specified a test is very early recognition and strict humor unit power pinch emergent operative management."

Aortic dissection is comparatively rare, affecting an estimated 3 to 4 group per 100,000 each year, according to Cleveland Clinic.

What causes an aortic dissection?

In Graham's case, nan preliminary findings cited arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This information is astir commonly associated pinch atherosclerosis, successful which plaque builds up wrong nan arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.

Over time, this process tin weaken nan wall of nan aorta, expanding nan consequence of an aortic dissection.

"It tin travel connected successful minutes aliases days and whitethorn beryllium difficult to recognize."

High-risk groups

Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular illness tin create complete clip and is driven by respective factors, according to nan American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic. Some of nan groups astatine highest consequence see nan following.

• People pinch uncontrolled precocious humor pressure (hypertension), which places changeless accent connected nan aortic wall
• Older adults, peculiarly those successful their 60s and 70s
• Men, who are diagnosed much often than women
• People pinch atherosclerosis (hardening of nan arteries) aliases different cardiovascular disease
• Those pinch an aortic aneurysm, which weakens nan wall of nan aorta
• People calved pinch definite bosom defects, specified arsenic a bicuspid aortic valve
• Those pinch inherited connective insubstantial disorders, including Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Smokers and group pinch longstanding precocious cholesterol, some of which lend to artery damage
• People pinch glucosuria and obesity
• Those who are physically inactive and/or eat an unhealthy diet

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during an executive business gathering of nan Senate Judiciary Committee connected Nov. 9, 2023, successful Washington, D.C. Graham's fatal information was linked to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Warning signs you should ne'er ignore

Symptoms of an aortic dissection tin travel connected abruptly and often mimic those of a heart onslaught aliases stroke, experts say.

Anyone experiencing immoderate of nan beneath informing signs should telephone 911 for contiguous emergency aesculapian care, according to Siegel and different wellness experts.

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• Sudden, terrible thorax aliases precocious backmost pain, often described arsenic tearing, ripping aliases stabbing, which whitethorn dispersed to nan cervix aliases back
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden, terrible abdominal pain
• Loss of consciousness (fainting)
• Stroke-like symptoms, specified arsenic abrupt imagination changes, trouble speaking, weakness aliases numbness connected 1 broadside of nan body
• Leg symptom aliases trouble walking

Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular illness tin create complete clip and is driven by respective factors, according to nan American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic.  (iStock)

"Aortic dissection is 1 of nan diseases that emergency physicians deliberation of often erstwhile personification presents pinch chest pain — specifically symptom described arsenic a tearing sensation, pinch elevated humor pressure," Perry told Fox News Digital.

"We often picture nan aortic dissection diligent arsenic appearing to person a ‘kidney chromatic of nan chest,’ — meaning they person terrible symptom and cannot get comfortable, akin to kidney chromatic patients."

Diagnosis and treatment

Early test and curen greatly amended nan chances of endurance for those who person suffered an aortic dissection.

Doctors typically diagnose an aortic dissection utilizing imaging tests, including a CT scan, transesophageal echocardiogram (ultrasound), magnetic resonance angiography (MRI-based scan) and thorax X-ray, per Mayo Clinic.

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The information requires contiguous medical treatment, which will dangle connected which portion of nan aorta is affected.

Type A dissections impact nan ascending (upper) aorta adjacent nan heart, which typically require emergency surgery.

According to nan American Heart Association, an untreated acute aortic dissection is 1 of nan deadliest cardiovascular emergencies. (iStock)

Type B dissections impact nan descending (lower) aorta farther from nan heart, according to Mayo Clinic. These whitethorn beryllium treated pinch medications to little humor unit and bosom rate, though immoderate whitethorn besides require room aliases a stent.

Those who past nan arena will mostly request lifelong humor unit guidance and regular imaging to show nan aorta, per nan supra source.

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"This information has a precocious mortality rate," Siegel said.

According to nan American Heart Association, an untreated acute aortic dissection is 1 of nan deadliest cardiovascular emergencies.

"We often picture nan aortic dissection diligent arsenic appearing to person a ‘kidney chromatic of nan chest.'"

For untreated dissections involving nan ascending aorta, nan consequence of decease increases by astir 1% to 2% for each hr curen is delayed aft symptoms begin, according to nan American College of Cardiology and nan American Heart Association.

Without treatment, much than half of group pinch a Type A aortic dissection dice wrong 1 month. About 20% of Type A patients will dice successful nan hospital, compared to 10% for treated Type B dissections.

Can it beryllium prevented?

While not each aortic dissections tin beryllium prevented, group tin trim their consequence by controlling definite lifestyle factors.

"You request to make judge your humor unit is well-controlled, your cholesterin is debased and that you are seen regularly by a doctor," Siegel advised.

Smokers should footwear nan habit, he said, arsenic they are astatine a highly accrued risk.

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Maintaining a healthy weight and pursuing curen plans for underlying bosom aliases vascular conditions tin besides trim nan risk, according to Mayo Clinic.

People pinch a family history of aortic illness aliases inherited connective insubstantial disorders should talk screening pinch their healthcare provider, doctors advise.