U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham died Saturday evening at age 71. His office released a statement Sunday saying he had died following a brief and sudden illness, but did not identify a specific cause of death.
The statement read: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of United States Senator Lindsey Graham. Senator Graham passed away peacefully Saturday evening following a brief and sudden illness. We ask that you keep his family, friends, and staff in your thoughts during this difficult time and respect their privacy."
According to Healthline, NBC News reported that emergency responders were dispatched to Graham's Washington, D.C., residence Saturday night during a medical emergency that involved cardiac arrest, citing police dispatch audio the outlet obtained. The Wall Street Journal, which independently reviewed the same dispatch audio, reported that responders were initially dispatched for chest pains before the incident escalated to cardiac arrest. According to the dispatch audio, emergency crews forced entry into the home before beginning CPR.
Officials have not confirmed Graham's cause of death.
Graham had represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2003. He was a Republican and one of the more prominent figures in the Senate during his more than two decades in office.
His death has prompted renewed public interest in the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different medical events. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating effectively, preventing blood from circulating to the brain and other organs. A heart attack, by contrast, occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked. A heart attack can sometimes lead to cardiac arrest, but the two conditions are not the same.
Graham was 71 at the time of his death. No funeral arrangements or official memorial details had been announced as of the time of this report.
