Aortic Dissection Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Aortic dissection or aortic dissection is a condition in which the wall of the aortic blood vessel is torn. The aorta itself is the largest blood vessel in the human body, which acts as an intermediary for flowing blood from the heart throughout the body.
A tear in the aortic wall will cause a blood-filled space between the layers of the aortic wall. The condition of aortic dissection is a condition that is classified as an emergency and often causes death.
Symptom
The main symptom of aortic dissection is chest pain. The pain usually appears suddenly. Many sufferers describe the pain they feel as if their chest is being slashed or torn. Chest pain can radiate to the shoulders, arms, and neck. Sometimes chest pain is difficult to distinguish from chest pain due to a heart attack.
In addition, the symptoms that often appear are pale skin, weak pulse, and low blood pressure.
Reason
There are several conditions that can trigger aortic dissection, including:
1. Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension).
2. Injury to the chest area, for example after a traffic accident
3. Diseases that attack connective tissue, for example, Marfan syndrome or Ehler-Danlos syndrome
4. Lupus
5. Cushing’s syndrome
6. Pregnancy
7. Use of psychoactive drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy
Diagnosis
During the initial examination of aortic dissection, the doctor will conduct an interview and a thorough physical examination. If an aortic dissection is suspected, the patient should be treated by a cardiologist and vascular specialist.
Furthermore, some additional checks that need to be done are:
1. Chest X-ray to see pictures of the heart and aorta.
2. An angiogram, which is a radiological examination that is carried out by inserting a contrast substance into a blood vessel, is needed to see the size of the tear that has occurred.
3. CT- scan and MRI to see if the aortic dissection is getting worse or not.
4. Echocardiography to see the condition of the blood vessels in the heart.
Treatment
Aortic dissection is an emergency condition that requires immediate treatment. Treatment depends on the type of dissection experienced. There are two types of aortic dissection, namely:
1. Type A, where the dissection occurs in the aortic blood vessels that are directly related to the heart.
2. Type B, where the dissection occurs in the aortic blood vessels that are not directly related to the heart, for example in the abdominal area.
Type A aortic dissection is generally treated with surgery, while type B aortic dissection can be treated with medication. The operation performed in type A dissection is the operation to cut the aorta which has been torn. Next, the aorta will be replaced by taking another blood vessel that is connected to the cut aorta (medically called a graft ).
Patients with aortic dissection must be treated in the intensive care unit. This is necessary because sufferers need continuous monitoring of blood pressure, pulse, and heart rhythm.
Prevention
To prevent aortic dissection, people with hypertension are advised to keep their blood pressure under control. Blood pressure is considered well-controlled if the systolic blood pressure is less than 140 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure is less than 90 mmHg.
In order for blood pressure to be controlled, several things that need to be done include:
1. Manage your diet well. We recommend that you eat lots of high-fiber foods, limit salt, and reduce fat intake.
2. Do physical exercise regularly, at least five times a week with a minimum exercise duration of 30 minutes.
3. Take anti-hypertensive drugs regularly according to the doctor’s instructions
4. Check with your doctor every 3–6 months, or as directed by your doctor.
5. Avoid secondhand smoke or stop smoking.