Aortic dissection: a review of the diagnosis and initial management
Thomson-Moore, A.L.; Papouchado, M.
Acute Medicine 9(2): 55-59
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1747-4884 PMID: 21597572 Document Number: 11013
Aortic dissection is a medical emergency which carries a high mortality, particularly if undiagnosed and untreated. The diagnosis may be overlooked because the 'classical' history, examination and imaging signs are present in only a minority of cases. After reflecting on the underlying pathophysiology, this review examines aspects of the history and examination which should alert Acute Physicians to a possible diagnosis of aortic dissection. The relative benefits of different imaging techniques are summarised, along with the prognosis and treatment for different types of aortic dissection. Finally a case of aortic dissection which went undiagnosed for a month is presented to illustrate some of the key teaching points raised in this article.
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