Medical Examiner: Sen. Lindsey Graham Died of Aortic Dissection
The Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia has released preliminary findings in the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, indicating he suffered an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease . The 71-year-old South Carolina Republican died suddenly on Saturday evening, July 11, after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.”
According to a statement from Graham’s office, the medical examiner determined the preliminary cause of death was “Aortic Dissection due to Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease” . The death certificate will remain pending until toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized . An aortic dissection occurs when a tear develops in the inner layer of the body’s main artery, allowing blood to flow between the layers of the vessel wall, which can lead to fatal internal bleeding or organ damage. Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease involves the buildup of plaque inside the arteries that can restrict blood flow. Emergency responders had been called to Graham’s Capitol Hill home on Saturday evening following a report of chest pain, and CPR was administered after he went into cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead at George Washington University Hospital at 10:23 p.m.
