Aortic dissection is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.

Sen. Lindsey Graham died at 71 of an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. An ER doctor explains why it kills so fast and the warning signs.

The South Carolina senator’s office said the 71-year-old died after a “brief and sudden illness.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) likely died of a heart attack. The senator had a family his tory, with his father dying from a heart attack at 68.