Lindsey Graham Cause of Death Revealed: Medical Examiner Points to Aortic Rupture Linked to Atherosclerosis

The preliminary findings indicate that the rupture was linked to atherosclerosis, a condition in which arteries become narrowed and hardened due to a build-up of plaque.

US Senator Lindsey Graham died from an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a preliminary determination by the medical examiner, his office has said according to a report by The Associated Press (AP).

An aortic dissection is a medical emergency in which a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta, the body’s main artery. According to the Mayo Clinic, blood can then rush through the tear, causing the artery’s inner and middle layers to split. If blood breaks through the outer wall of the aorta, the condition is often fatal.

Graham’s office said the findings are preliminary. The rare condition involves a tear in the body’s main artery; it mostly affects older men, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Graham, a fourth-term senator and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, passed away on Saturday evening from a “brief and sudden illness,” his office announced shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement said.

Emergency officials had responded to Graham’s Capitol Hill home after receiving a report of chest pains before he was taken to hospital, according to earlier reports.

Tributes have poured in following the death of longtime Senator Lindsey Graham, as new details emerged about the circumstances surrounding his passing.

President Trump ordered flags to remain at half-mast, saying “In honor of the remarkable life and achievements of Senator Lindsey Graham, a dear friend of mine, and a truly great man, who achieved so much for our Country, and his beloved Home State of South Carolina, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Saturday evening at 6 P.M. GOD BLESS YOU LINDSEY!”

CBS News reported that an emergency call placed Saturday evening to a residence belonging to the South Carolina Republican referenced a dispatch for a cardiac arrest, though officials have not released an official cause of death.

Trump led a growing chorus of reactions, describing Graham as “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known” and “a true American Patriot.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other political leaders also praised Graham’s decades of public service and influence on U.S. foreign policy.

This is a Breaking Story and will be updated soon

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