Preliminary findings from the District of Columbia's medical examiner's office indicate that Senator Lindsey Graham, 71, died from an aortic dissection stemming from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The senator, a Republican representing South Carolina, was found deceased in his Washington, D.C. home.
Aortic dissection is a rare condition that involves a tear in the aorta, the body's main artery, and primarily affects older men, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The death certificate remains pending further toxicological and microscopic testing, after which it will be updated to reflect the final cause and manner of death, an office representative stated. The initial assessment was released Sunday.