Abstract: (48686 Views)
Acute aortic dissection is a common disease caused by primary tear in the aortic intima or rupture of vasa vasorum. Every year 5-30 per million are affected by that.
Untreated aortic dissection (dissecting aortic aneurysm) carries a high mortality rate. More than 90% of acute dissections present with acute pain in chest or back or both. Aortic dissection may mimic other more common conditions and high index of suspicion is required for prompt diagnosis and emergency treatment. In this paper, six patients with acute aortic dissection are presented who had atypical symptoms. Syncope, abdominal pain and diarrhea, dyspnea of exertion, severe weakness, faint and epigastric pain were chief presenting symptoms in these patients. Absence of severe chest pain has made the authors to present this study as case report. These cases signify the high clinical suspicion in diagnosis and treatment of aortic dissection. Furthermore, treatment of chronic hypertension is a strong modality in reducing the risks of aortic dissection