Preliminary Cause of Death Released for Sen. Lindsey Graham

Graham’s office said he died after a “brief and sudden illness” and asked for privacy for his family.

White House US President Donald Trump — Source: The Washington Post / Getty

WASHINGTON — Sen. Lindsey Graham died from a ruptured aorta caused by chronic heart disease, according to a preliminary report released Sunday by the Washington, D.C., medical examiner’s office.

The report lists the preliminary cause of death for the 71-year-old South Carolina Republican as “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.” The condition involves a tear in the body’s main artery and can be life-threatening.

Graham’s office released the findings Sunday. The medical examiner’s office said the official death certificate remains pending until toxicology and microscopic testing are completed.

Emergency crews responded to Graham’s Capitol Hill home Saturday night after a report of chest pains. First responders performed CPR before taking him to George Washington University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Graham’s office said he died after a “brief and sudden illness” and asked for privacy for his family. The senator served more than two decades in the U.S. Senate and was a prominent voice on foreign policy and national security issues.