{"id":762276,"date":"2026-07-14T11:47:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/762276\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T11:47:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:47:15","slug":"lindsey-graham-joins-other-notable-figures-who-died-of-aortic-dissection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/762276\/","title":{"rendered":"Lindsey Graham joins other notable figures who died of aortic dissection"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sen Lindsey Graham\u2019s sudden death caused by aortic dissection<\/a> <\/p>\n

Preliminary reports reveal South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham died at 71 from an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, breaks down the fatal condition and the emergency response timeline at Graham’s home. Additionally, Dr. Siegel warns about a spike in Cyclosporiasis cases across 31 states, offering crucial safety tips for prevention.<\/p>\n

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

HEART CONDITION TIED TO LINDSEY GRAHAM’S DEATH CAN STRIKE WITHOUT WARNING \u2014 WHAT TO KNOW<\/a><\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

Graham, 71, is not the only notable figure to have died from an aortic dissection<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Sen. <\/p>\n

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s cause of death was ruled an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a statement released by Graham’s office on Sunday. (AP Photo\/Susan Walsh)<\/p>\n

Below are three other celebrities and public officials whose deaths were linked to the same life-threatening condition.<\/p>\n

1. John Ritter<\/p>\n

Actor John Ritter, best known for his role in the hit sitcom<\/a> “Three\u2019s Company,” died from an aortic dissection on Sept. 11, 2003.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"John <\/p>\n

John Ritter is seen at CBS TV City on Jan. 5, 1978, in Los Angeles, California. (Tom Wargacki\/WireImage)<\/p>\n

Type A dissections involve the ascending (upper) aorta near the heart, which typically\u00a0require emergency surgery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the time of his death, Ritter was filming the sitcom “8 Simple Rules\u2026 for Dating My Teenage Daughter,” co-starring Kaley Cuoco.<\/p>\n

MEDICAL EXAMINER RELEASES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS IN LINDSEY GRAHAM’S DEATH AS DEATH CERTIFICATE REMAINS PENDING<\/a><\/p>\n

The actor was initially treated for a presumed heart attack, but passed away that night as his condition worsened.<\/p>\n

In a press release, the JRF extended its condolences to Graham\u2019s family.<\/p>\n

“Deaths due to aortic dissections are preventable if individuals at risk are identified and properly treated.”<\/p>\n

“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<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

“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.”<\/p>\n

2. Rep. Doug LaMalfa<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Doug <\/p>\n

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died on Jan. 6, 2026, at age 65 from complications of an aortic dissection. (Tom Williams\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

LaMalfa, who represented California\u2019s 1st Congressional District, was taken into emergency surgery<\/a> but passed away during the procedure, according to a statement from the Butte County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

3. Alan Thicke<\/p>\n

“Growing Pains” actor Alan Thicke died from an aortic dissection on Dec. 13, 2016, at the age of 69.<\/p>\n

Thicke reportedly experienced chest pain<\/a> while playing hockey with his son and was taken to the hospital.<\/p>\n

\"Allen <\/p>\n

“Growing Pains” actor Alan Thicke died from an aortic dissection on Dec. 13, 2016, at the age of 69. (Brian To\/FilmMagic)<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Raising awareness<\/p>\n

In a 2016 HCA Healthcare article, Nashville-based heart surgeon<\/a> Dr. Grayson Wheatley reflected on Thicke\u2019s “unfortunate” case.<\/p>\n

YOUR RESTING HEART RATE COULD REVEAL MORE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH THAN YOU THINK, DOCTORS SAY<\/a><\/p>\n

“I am sharing with you my expert thoughts based on limited information about Mr. Thicke\u2019s case, but in light of an extensive career of treating hundreds of patients with aortic dissections, I can connect the dots in Mr. Thicke\u2019s case from patterns that have emerged from treating similar patients with aortic dissections,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"Alan <\/p>\n

Alan Thicke, pictured with son Robin Thicke in 2013, reportedly experienced chest pain while playing hockey with his son and was taken to the hospital before his death. (Francis Specker\/CBS via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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<\/a> and\/or chest.”<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES<\/a><\/p>\n

Once the dissection occurs, it becomes a “race against time” as the condition worsens, the doctor said.<\/p>\n

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

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n

“The aorta is the main blood vessel<\/a> 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.”<\/p>\n

“The aorta itself has three layers,” the surgeon went on. “A tear in the lining of the aorta causes those layers to separate. It\u2019s similar to paint peeling off a wall. And that brings a lot of consequences depending on where the tear is.”<\/p>\n

\"Aortic <\/p>\n

“The aorta is the main blood vessel that comes off of the heart, and it runs like a pipe through your body,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. “Smaller blood vessels branch off to go to all your internal organs, arms, legs and brain.” (iStock)<\/p>\n

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<\/a> remain the leading risk factors, Mansukhani said.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n

“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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Graham, <\/p>\n

In addition to Graham (left), actors John Ritter and Alan Thicke both died after experiencing an aortic dissection. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Type A dissections are “immediately life-threatening,” as they are “right by the heart,” according to the doctor.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n

“It\u2019s 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.”<\/p>\n

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

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sen Lindsey Graham\u2019s sudden death caused by aortic dissection Preliminary reports reveal South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham died…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":762277,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[23,97,15421,5971,149,5852,3,21,19,22,20,25,24],"class_list":["post-762276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-america","tag-health","tag-heart-health","tag-illness","tag-lifestyle","tag-lindsey-graham","tag-news","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/762276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=762276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/762276\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/762277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=762276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=762276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=762276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}