D.C. medical examiner gives preliminary cause of death for late Sen. Lindsey Graham

A preliminary examination determined the cause of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death as aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a release from his office early Sunday evening.

The results, from the medical examiner of the District of Columbia, are preliminary, and the death certificate is still 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 Washington, D.C. medical examiner said in a statement through the late senator’s office.

An aortic dissection is when the inner walls of the aorta tear, causing the outer layers to split. It’s often fatal if blood leaves the artery, according to Mayo Clinic. Arteriosclerosis is a condition where blood vessels stiffen or harden.

Graham died after a “brief and sudden” illness Saturday evening, his office announced early Sunday morning.

Dispatch audio obtained and reviewed by CNN reveals emergency crews responded to a “cardiac arrest” at Graham’s residence Saturday evening, the network reported Sunday morning.