New details surrounding Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death have drawn attention to a cardiovascular emergency that can become fatal within minutes.
On Sunday, a statement released by Graham’s office cited preliminary findings from the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, identifying the cause of death as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Authorities said Graham, 71, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:23 p.m. Saturday. An autopsy was completed Sunday.
“The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and are finalized, and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” the statement said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Graham’s office requesting comment.
An aortic dissection is a life-threatening medical emergency in which a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta â the body’s largest artery, according to Mayo Clinic.
Blood rushes through the tear and causes the layers of the aortic wall to separate, which can disrupt to vital organs or lead to a fatal rupture if not treated immediately.
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“It occurs when the layers of the aorta come apart and the inner one tears,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who did not treat Graham, told Fox News Digital.
“It can come on in minutes or days and may be hard to recognize,” he added, noting that while dissections can evolve over time, symptoms often appear suddenly.
Dr. Kenneth Perry, an based in South Carolina, said the best way to visualize the condition is to think of the aorta as a hose.
“The wall of the hose has multiple layers to it, and if the layers separate, the water can no longer pass down the regular opening in the tube,” Perry, who also was not involved in Graham’s care, told Fox News Digital. “Often, this starts as a very small tear that keeps progressing because of the water pressure.”
“The same thing is happening in the aorta,” he went on. “The small tear in the wall of the aorta continues to progress, usually from severely elevated .”
As the tear continues past the smaller arteries coming from the aorta, blood can no longer flow from the heart to the other organs.
“This causes the organs that need that blood to die from lack of oxygen,” Perry said. “The only way to survive such a diagnosis is very early identification and strict blood pressure control with emergent operative management.”
Aortic dissection is relatively rare, affecting an estimated three to four people per 100,000 each year, according to Cleveland Clinic.
In Graham’s case, the preliminary findings cited arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This condition is most commonly associated with atherosclerosis, in which plaque builds up inside the arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.
Over time, this process can weaken the wall of the aorta, increasing the risk of an aortic dissection.
Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease can develop over time and is driven by se
