What is an aortic dissection, the condition blamed in the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham?

Initial indications from the District of Columbia Medical Examiner’s Office are that Sen. Lindsey Graham died suddenly on Saturday at age 71 as a result of an aortic dissection — a life-threatening cardiovascular condition that results in a tear in the inner wall of the body’s main artery.

In September 2003, the condition also led to the sudden death of actor and former "Three's Company" star John Ritter at age 54.

Newsday answers your questions about the condition.

What is the aorta?

Dr. Rabih A. Chaer, chief of vascular and endovascular surgery at Stony Brook Medicine, said to think of the aorta as ‘the main highway" transporting blood in the body. The aorta — and, the arterial network connected to it — is the thoroughfare for blood pumped from the heart to reach the brain, organs and extremities. The aorta is the main road, the rest of the network its secondary roads and side streets.

What is an aortic dissection?

A thoracic aortic aneurysm is an area of weakening and bulging of the aortic wall. The bulge increases the risk of a tear or rupture in the lining. That is as an aortic dissection, according to the Mayo Clinic. While not common, the condition often occurs in men in their 60s and 70s — though certain genetic risk factors, such as Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting the connective tissue, can increase the risk up to 250 times. High blood pressure also can increase the risk, among other factors.

What are the different types of aortic dissections?

The New England Journal of Medicine lists two defined types: Type A and Type B. Type A affects the ascending aorta and "requires emergency surgical repair" due to what the journal describes as "the immediate risk of rupture or cardiac tamponade" — or, fluid rapidly accumulating in the pericardial sac surrounding the heart.

Those tears can cause hemorrhaging outside the aorta, which can lead to life-threatening internal blood loss. Type B originates past the left subclavian artery and involves the descending aorta. It is generally treated with blood pressure medicine or a TEVAR procedure — Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair — which does not require opening the chest cavity and often involves placing a stent into the artery.

What are the symptoms of an aortic dissection?

Severe chest pain, shortness of breath, the sensation that you’re having a heart attack or stroke — only markedly worse, Chaer said. The Cleveland Clinic and University of Michigan Health describe it as "a sense of doom," to which Chaer said: "The severe pain you’re having — in the chest, spreading to the upper back; the neck, belly, extremities — is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Patients have said it’s like a sensation of something tearing or ripping." Sometimes, patients lose consciousness.

What can your doctor do to determine your risk?

Monitoring and controlling high blood pressure is one big risk-reducer; knowing your genetic risks also is a key monitoring factor. Activities like extreme weight lifting and cocaine usage can be risk factors as well.

Chaer and other experts said that screening with ultrasounds can determine if you have a potential aneurysm — though that doesn’t always lead to an aortic dissection. Most of the time, Chaer said, the situation goes undiagnosed until a patient has suffered a life-threatening event.

"You really shouldn’t be worried if you don’t have risk factors," Chaer said, adding: "In general, if you develop those symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. But, you shouldn’t have nightmares about it. You just shouldn’t."

September is Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection Month and Stony Brook will hold an open house featuring guest speakers, discussion and ultrasound screenings at a date to be determined. For more information, check with the Stony Brook Aortic Center. Information on aortic dissection also is available via the Marfan Foundation and at The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.