Anatom3DAortic dissection
Dissectio aortae · Disekce aorty
What it is
Blood tears into the aortic wall and splits it. Minutes matter.
Symptoms & signs
- Sudden tearing chest-to-back pain
- unequal arm pulses
- collapse
- stroke symptoms
🚩 Get help if…
- call 112 / 911 now Sudden tearing or ripping chest or back pain
- call 112 / 911 now Chest pain with fainting, weakness or a cold, pulseless limb
- call 112 / 911 now Chest pain with slurred speech or one-sided weakness
Where it strikes
Medical treatment
- Emergency surgery for type A
- IV beta blockade to drop shear stress
- endovascular repair for type B
Natural & lifestyle
- Blood-pressure control
- screening in Marfan and bicuspid valve
- avoid stimulants
Emerging & experimental
- Branched endografts
- genetic screening panels for familial aortopathy
Alternative, off-label & anecdotal
Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.
- Calm, controlled blood pressure with breathing and meditation after repair — sensible, untested anecdotal / traditional
- Losartan in Marfan syndrome — trials show about the same slowing of aortic root growth as beta blockers mixed evidence
ICD codes
- ICD-10 I71.0
- ICD-11 BD50.Z Aortic aneurysm or dissection, unspecified