ROCK HILL, S.C. — Aortic Dissection Awareness Day is held annually on Sept. 19.
This serious, often sudden, condition is what caused Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death in July.
[ READ MORE >> SC reacts to Sen. Graham’s death; special election to be held ]
Channel 9’s Miana Massey spoke with a man who almost didn’t survive the same heart episode.
In October 2022, the then 55-year-old Joe Paradise was rushed to the hospital after severe back pain.
“The pain was unimaginable, it really was,” he said.
Paradise said it all happened so fast. In a matter of minutes, doctors determined he had undergone an aortic dissection. He said they warned him he might not survive.
The aorta is the main artery carrying blood from the heart to the body.
Dr. Christopher Everett, a vascular surgeon with Piedmont Medical Network, said tears typically develop from years of high blood pressure.
“When patients have high blood pressure for long periods of time, the pressure and the force of that blood beating against the wall can cause a rip or a tear in the inner lining of the artery,” Everett said.
For Paradise, the damage extended through much of his body.
“I basically tore my artery from my carotid to my heart, and from my heart all the way to my groin,” he said.
Everett treated Paradise in George, performing two life-saving procedures. He said he hopes more people will learn about the risks.
“The one small benefit of tragic events like this is the awareness piece,” Everett said. “It gets information out there for people to understand what the disease is and how they can take better care of themselves to hopefully prevent something like that.”
Everett says there are few warning signs of an aortic dissection. He encourages regular checkups and blood pressure control to make sure you are in good shape.
Years later, Paradise says he’s thankful for a new lease on life.
“I take advantage of every day,” he said. “I have goals. I want to watch all my daughters walk down the aisle. I got one more left. I want to watch at least one grandbaby born from each daughter. And I want to just, you know, live life to its best.”
Another recommendation from doctors is to stop smoking. It can be a major contributor to heart damage.