India, July 13 -- Lindsey Graham, the longtime Republican US senator from South Carolina and a close ally of President Donald Trump, died on Saturday at the age of 71.

According to a preliminary finding from the medical examiner, Graham died from an aortic rupture caused by hardened arteries.

An aortic rupture is a life-threatening medical emergency in which the aorta tears or bursts completely. This can cause severe internal bleeding and can quickly become fatal without immediate treatment.

An aortic rupture is different from an aortic dissection. In a dissection, the inner layer of the aorta tears, allowing blood to flow between the layers of the artery wall. In some cases, this can weaken the aorta and lead to a full rupture.

Publi...