Senator Lindsey Graham died suddenly on 11 July at the age of 71 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Washington home. Preliminary findings from the District of Columbia medical examiner, released on Sunday, list the cause as aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, meaning a tear in the aorta linked to hardening of the arteries.
His office said he died after a 'brief and sudden illness'. The American Heart Association notes that cardiac arrest is distinct from a heart attack and can occur even in people without diagnosed heart disease.
