Sen.Lindsey Graham's sudden death has renewed 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.HEART CONDITION TIED TO LINDSEY GRAHAM'S DEATH CAN STRIKE WITHOUT WARNING — WHAT TO KNOW"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.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)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.Actor John Ritter, best known for his role in the hit sitcom "Three’s Company," died from an aortic dissection on Sept.
11, 2003.According to The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, the actor was taken to the hospital after experiencing symptoms later identified as a type A aortic dissection.The nonprofit, founded in his honor, later said Graham's death has brought "needed attention" to the condition.John Ritter is seen at CBS TV City on Jan.
5, 1978, in Los Angeles, California.(Tom Wargacki/WireImage)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 Daughte...