Aortic dissection: The medical emergency linked to Lindsey Graham’s death

Sen. Lindsey Graham died from an aortic dissection, a rare but often sudden and life‑threatening tear in the aorta.
It typically causes intense chest pain that can radiate to the back and requires emergency surgery within hours to survive.
Risk rises with age, male sex, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis or family history; managing blood pressure and knowing your risk can help prevent it.