Aortic Dissection is a potentially life threatening condition arising from a tear in the lining of the main blood vessel from the heart, that requires urgent hospital admission and management.
The majority of patients with Chronic or Subacute Aortic Dissection require optimal management with medications to reduce blood pressure and control risk factors to prevent long-term problems
Endovascular stenting is now the mainstay of treatment for Aortic Dissection and has increased the range of treatment options available.
In some cases the management of Aortic Dissection will involve conventional surgical management with surgery in the chest and abdomen. This will often be in conjunction with other specialists such as Cardiothoracic Surgeons.
If you have severe chest pain and are concerned you should seek urgent medical attention and dial 000 to attend your nearest hospital
Aortic Dissection can be caused by high blood pressure or can result in high blood pressure, however the overwhelming majority of high blood pressure is not related to Aortic Dissection but requires management by your GP. If you have had a previous Aortic Dissection and have high blood pressure, the team of specialists at AVC are happy to help assess if the Aortic Dissection is contributing to this.
