- Senator Lindsey Graham’s preliminary medical examiner findings indicated an aortic dissection as the cause.
- The tear in the inner wall of his aorta was linked to the hardening of his arteries; an official cause of death is pending further testing.
- Paramedics responded to reports of Graham suffering severe chest pains, a symptom experts describe as a 'knife to the heart' or 'ripping sensation'.
- Aortic dissection, where the aorta's three-layer lining separates, is common among men in their 60s and 70s working in stressful environments.
- This life-threatening condition, often misdiagnosed as a heart attack, is fatal in 50 percent of cases and requires rapid diagnosis and potential surgery.
IN FULL
What is an aortic tear? The fatal condition doctors compare to a knife to the heart
