Aortic Dissection & Aneurysm: Causes, Symptoms & Emergency Care

The aortic artery extends from the left ventricle in the heart and branches out to each leg. Aortic dissection is a tear in the inside wall of the aorta, also called an aortic aneurysm. A person with aortic dissection can bleed to death quickly without emergency medical intervention.

Symptoms

• Aortic dissection causes severe symptoms. The Mayo Clinic website states that aortic dissection patients report intense tearing pain in the mid-chest accompanied by shortness of breath. Patients may lose consciousness from blood loss.

Identification

• Aortic dissection aneurysms are diagnosed by X-ray and computed tomography scan. If an X-ray reveals an enlarged area in the aorta, a computed tomography scan confirms whether the enlargement is due to aortic aneurysm or another cause.

Risk Factors

• The Cardiology Channel website reports that two-thirds of aortic dissection patients suffer from high blood pressure. Genetic predisposition plays a role in risk for aortic dissection. Blunt trauma to the chest is a common cause of aortic dissection.

Treatment

• There are two types of aortic dissection and each requires different treatment. Type A aortic dissections move up and into the chest. This type requires immediate surgery. Type B descends upward into the abdomen and can be treated with medication.

Prognosis

• According to the U.S. National Library of Health, less than 50% of patients treated for ruptured aortic dissection survive. The Merck Manual online states that 75% of patients who do not receive treatment, die within two weeks of aortic dissection.