Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has thrown new attention on a rare but often deadly cardiovascular emergency known as aortic dissection.

The cause of death was identified as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a statement released by Graham’s office on Sunday, citing preliminary findings from the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

“It occurs when the layers of the aorta (the body’s largest artery) come apart and the inner one tears,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who did not treat Graham, told Fox News Digital.

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“It can come on in minutes or days and may be hard to recognize,” added the doctor, noting that while dissections can evolve over time, symptoms often appear suddenly.

Graham, 71, is not the only notable figure to have died from an aortic dissection. 

Below are three other celebrities and public officials whose deaths were linked to the same life-threatening condition.

1. John Ritter

Actor John Ritter, best known for his role in the hit sitcom “Three’s Company,” died from an aortic dissection on Sept. 11, 2003.

The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health (JRF) said the actor was taken to the hospital after experiencing symptoms later identified as a type A aortic dissection. The nonprofit, founded in his honor to fund research and raise awareness for the condition, later said Graham’s death brought “needed attention” to the condition.

Type A dissections involve the ascending (upper) aorta near the heart, which typically require emergency surgery.

At the time of his death, Ritter was filming the sitcom “8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter,” co-starring Kaley Cuoco.

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The actor was initially treated for a presumed heart attack, but passed away that night as his condition worsened.

In a press release, the JRF extended its condolences to Graham’s family.

“Deaths due to aortic dissections are preventable if individuals at risk are identified and properly treated.”

“These deaths underscore that aortic dissections are not a rare cause of death,” Meredith Ford O’Neal, CEO of the foundation, shared with Fox News Digital. “Deaths due to aortic dissections are preventable if individuals at risk are identified and properly treated.”

“We hope this moment encourages people to learn the warning signs of aortic dissection, which includes an increased risk for family members of individuals who have had an aortic dissection.”

2. Rep. Doug LaMalfa

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died on Jan. 6, 2026, at age 65 from complications of an aortic dissection, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) was listed as another significant condition, and his death was ruled natural.

LaMalfa, who represented California’s 1st Congressional District, was taken into emergency surgery but passed away during the procedure, according to a statement from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

A month later, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to People that his cause of death was complications of an aortic dissection. Cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, was also listed as a significant condition.

3. Alan Thicke

“Growing Pains” actor Alan Thicke died from an aortic dissection on Dec. 13, 2016, at the age of 69.

Thicke reportedly experienced chest pain while playing hockey with his son and was taken to the hospital.

The Los Angeles County coroner later determined that Thicke died from a ruptured aorta caused by a type A aortic dissection, according to ABC News.

Raising awareness

In a 2016 HCA Healthcare article, Nashville-based heart surgeon Dr. Grayson Wheatley reflected on Thicke’s “unfortunate” case.

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“I am sharing with you my expert thoughts based on limited information about Mr. Thicke’s case, but in light of an extensive career of treating hundreds of patients with aortic dissections, I can connect the dots in Mr. Thicke’s case from patterns that have emerged from treating similar patients with aortic dissections,” he said.

Chest pain is often the first sign of a sudden tear or rip in the aorta, which can develop “within a few heartbeats,” according to Wheatley.

“The pain associated with an aortic dissection is extreme,” he said. “My patients describe it as so intense and sudden that it drops them to their knees. They literally fall to the ground and feel an intense tearing or ripping in their mid-upper back and/or chest.”

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Once the dissection occurs, it becomes a “race against time” as the condition worsens, the doctor said.

Dr. Neel Mansukhani, a vascular surgeon at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, explained why this condition can become life-threatening so quickly.

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“The aorta is the main blood vessel that comes off of the heart, and it runs like a pipe through your body,” he told Fox News Digital. “Smaller blood vessels branch off to go to all your internal organs, arms, legs and brain.”

“The aorta itself has three layers,” the surgeon went on. “A tear in the lining of the aorta causes those layers to separate. It’s similar to paint peeling off a wall. And that brings a lot of consequences depending on where the tear is.”

An enlarged aorta or damage to the vessel wall from cardiovascular disease can increase the likelihood of an aortic dissection, although age and high blood pressure remain the leading risk factors, Mansukhani said.

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“As we get older, blood vessels can weaken, and over time the constant pressure of blood flow can make the wall of the aorta more vulnerable to a dissection,” he said. 

Type A dissections are “immediately life-threatening,” as they are “right by the heart,” according to the doctor.

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“It’s an emergency that usually needs surgery within 24 hours if a patient can tolerate that,” he said. “A type B dissection is located further down from the heart. It can also be life-threatening, but does not usually need immediate surgery.”

Although an aortic dissection often strikes without warning, maintaining cardiovascular health and monitoring conditions such as high blood pressure can help lower the risk, Mansukhani advised.

An Alabama teenager and his family are warning about the dangers of a viral social media trend after he suffered third-degree burns when a microwaved sensory toy exploded.

Eli Blackmon, now 13, was 11 when he saw videos on TikTok showing people putting NeeDoh squishy toys in the microwave in order to soften them.

The NeeDoh, a sensory toy similar to a stress ball, is described on the company’s website as a “gratifying super soft, super stretchy dough filled groovy glob.”

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“I thought it was harmless because an adult tried it and nothing happened,” he told Fox News Digital this week.

“When I took it out, my older sister held it for a few minutes, then I was playing with it. As soon as I squeezed it, it burst and the hot gel exploded onto my neck, chest and hands.”

The hot gel caused third-degree burns on the boy’s neck and chest.

“At first I was just feeling frantic because I wasn’t sure what was going on because he was just screaming and not communicating,” the teen’s mother, Fallon Blackmon, told Fox News Digital.

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“My husband is a fire medic and I work in emergency call taking, so I had a little knowledge of how serious it was. That obviously didn’t keep me from panicking on the inside.”

She was not aware of this trend before her child’s injury, she said.

“If I was aware, we would have had a conversation about not doing it.”

Eli Blackmon recalled feeling extreme pain after the injury.

“I thought I was going to die. I kept telling my parents, ‘I don’t want to die, I’m sorry,’ and I that I loved them.”

Blackmon was transported by ambulance to the emergency department at the local children’s hospital, and was later sent to the burn unit for wound care and debridement.

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“With how severe the burn was, they would typically recommend skin grafts, but they wouldn’t consider it for him because of the risks to his airway,” his mother said.

Blackmon had weekly visits with the burn unit for four months, during which the doctors scraped off dead skin and performed wound care.

“This was done with no pain meds or numbing, so all his follow-up appointments were very painful,” Fallon Blackmon said.

“Once the wound started to heal and the scarring began, they had to do chemical burns because he was developing granulation tissue.”

“Don’t do it! It’s stupid! It causes so much pain.”

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The teen also developed a rash from the bandages, which quickly turned into a staph infection.

“Another issue was that the burn was pulling fluids from his body, and this caused severe lower GI issues for months,” his mother said.

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Blackmon, who is a jiu-jitsu athlete, missed months of training and competing due to the injury. The family also faced thousands of dollars worth of hospital bills, doctor bills and wound care supplies over the four-month care period.

Now, the teen and his mother aim to help prevent other families from going through the same ordeal.

“If you purchase these types of toys, please just mention this trend and not to do it,” she urged parents. “Even if they don’t have social media, kids in school are hearing it from other kids.”

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Today, Blackmon attends to his scar each day so that it doesn’t cause any issues with neck mobility.

“I have to do stretches and moisturize and massage it daily,” he said.

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“It hasn’t really changed my confidence because all my friends and family are very supportive and tell me my scar is cool.”

To other kids who may be thinking about participating in this social media trend, Blackmon’s advice is simple: “Don’t do it! It’s stupid! It causes so much pain and other problems.”

“Actually, just don’t do any trends on TikTok, even if you think they are harmless,” he added. “Talk to your parents.”

Blackmon’s mother agreed, noting that sharing the story and receiving negative criticism from adults online would be worth preventing another child from being “scarred for life” and experiencing something so traumatic.

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A spokesperson for TikTok USDS Joint Venture previously shared with Fox News Digital that any content that “promotes dangerous behavior” and may lead to serious injury is considered a violation of the platform’s Community Guidelines. The company claims that it immediately removes these videos when they are found.

Fox News Digital reached out to the manufacturer of NeeDoh requesting comment.

New details surrounding Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death have drawn attention to a cardiovascular emergency that can become fatal within minutes.

A statement released by Graham’s office on Sunday cited preliminary findings from the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, identifying the cause of death as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Authorities said Graham, 71, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:23 p.m. Saturday. An autopsy was completed Sunday.

MEDICAL EXAMINER RELEASES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS IN LINDSEY GRAHAM’S DEATH AS DEATH CERTIFICATE REMAINS PENDING

“The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized, and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” the statement said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Graham’s office requesting comment.

What is an aortic dissection?

An aortic dissection is a life-threatening medical emergency in which a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta — the body’s largest artery, according to Mayo Clinic.

“It occurs when the layers of the aorta come apart and the inner one tears,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who did not treat Graham, told Fox News Digital.

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Blood rushes through the tear and causes the layers of the aortic wall to separate, which can disrupt blood flow to vital organs or lead to a fatal rupture if not treated immediately.

“It can come on in minutes or days and may be hard to recognize,” added Siegel, noting that while dissections can evolve over time, symptoms often appear suddenly.

Dr. Kenneth Perry, an emergency physician based in South Carolina, said the best way to visualize the condition is to think of the aorta as a hose.

“The wall of the hose has multiple layers to it, and if the layers separate, the water can no longer pass down the regular opening in the tube,” Perry, who also was not involved in Graham’s care, told Fox News Digital. “Often, this starts as a very small tear that keeps progressing because of the water pressure.”

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“The same thing is happening in the aorta,” he went on. “The small tear in the wall of the aorta continues to progress, usually from severely elevated blood pressure.”

As the tear continues past the smaller arteries coming from the aorta, blood can no longer flow from the heart to the other organs.

“This causes the organs that need that blood to die from lack of oxygen,” Perry said. “The only way to survive such a diagnosis is very early identification and strict blood pressure control with emergent operative management.”

Aortic dissection is relatively rare, affecting an estimated three to four people per 100,000 each year, according to Cleveland Clinic.

What causes an aortic dissection?

In Graham’s case, the preliminary findings cited arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This condition is most commonly associated with atherosclerosis, in which plaque builds up inside the arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.

Over time, this process can weaken the wall of the aorta, increasing the risk of an aortic dissection.

“It can come on in minutes or days and may be hard to recognize.”

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High-risk groups

Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease can develop over time and is driven by several factors, according to the American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic. 

Some of the groups at highest risk include the following.

• People with uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension), which places constant stress on the aortic wall
• Older adults, particularly those in their 60s and 70s
• Men, who are diagnosed more often than women
• People with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or other cardiovascular disease
• Those with an aortic aneurysm, which weakens the wall of the aorta
• People born with certain heart defects, such as a bicuspid aortic valve
• Those with inherited connective tissue disorders, including Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Smokers and people with longstanding high cholesterol, both of which contribute to artery damage
• People with diabetes and obesity
• Those who are physically inactive and/or eat an unhealthy diet

“Graham’s father had a cardiac arrest, and if it was from a dissection, it would increase the risk,” Siegel noted.

Warning signs you should never ignore

Symptoms of an aortic dissection can come on suddenly and often mimic those of a heart attack or stroke, experts say.

Anyone experiencing any of the below warning signs should call 911 for immediate emergency medical care, according to Siegel and other health experts.

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• Sudden, severe chest or upper back pain, often described as tearing, ripping or stabbing, which may spread to the neck or back
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden, severe abdominal pain
• Loss of consciousness (fainting)
• Stroke-like symptoms, such as sudden vision changes, difficulty speaking, weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Leg pain or difficulty walking

“Aortic dissection is one of the diseases that emergency physicians think of often when someone presents with chest pain — specifically pain described as a tearing sensation, with elevated blood pressure,” Perry told Fox News Digital.

“We often describe the aortic dissection patient as appearing to have a ‘kidney stone of the chest,’ — meaning they have severe pain and cannot get comfortable, similar to kidney stone patients.”

Diagnosis and treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment greatly improve the chances of survival for those who have suffered an aortic dissection.

Doctors typically diagnose an aortic dissection using imaging tests, including a CT scan, transesophageal echocardiogram (ultrasound), magnetic resonance angiography (MRI-based scan) and chest X-ray, per Mayo Clinic.

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The condition requires immediate medical treatment, which will depend on which part of the aorta is affected.

Type A dissections involve the ascending (upper) aorta near the heart, which typically require emergency surgery.

Type B dissections affect the descending (lower) aorta farther from the heart, according to Mayo Clinic. These may be treated with medications to lower blood pressure and heart rate, although some may also require surgery or a stent.

Those who survive the event will generally need lifelong blood pressure management and regular imaging to monitor the aorta, per the above source.

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“This condition has a high mortality rate,” Siegel said.

According to the American Heart Association, an untreated acute aortic dissection is one of the deadliest cardiovascular emergencies.

“We often describe the aortic dissection patient as appearing to have a ‘kidney stone of the chest.’”

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For untreated dissections involving the ascending aorta, the risk of death increases by approximately 1% to 2% for every hour treatment is delayed after symptoms begin, according to the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.

Without treatment, more than half of people with a Type A aortic dissection die within one month. About 20% of Type A patients will die in the hospital, compared to 10% for treated Type B dissections.

Can it be prevented?

While not all aortic dissections can be prevented, people can reduce their risk by controlling certain lifestyle factors.

“You need to make sure your blood pressure is well-controlled, your cholesterol is low and that you are seen regularly by a doctor,” Siegel advised.

Smokers should kick the habit, he said, as they are at a highly increased risk.

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Maintaining a healthy weight and following treatment plans for underlying heart or vascular conditions can also reduce the risk, according to Mayo Clinic.

People with a family history of aortic disease or inherited connective tissue disorders should discuss screening with their healthcare provider, doctors advise.