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Aortic dissection

Prevalence
Clinical features
Differential diagnosis
Investigations
Therapy
Prevention
Prognosis
Clinical features

No individual sign or symptom is very helpful in diagnosing aortic dissection.

Consider it in all patients with chest or upper abdominal pain especially if they have:

  • a history of hypertension c 
  • chest pain c   
  • Marfan syndrome c 
  • pregnancy d
Ask about
  • chest pain c and if it has moved  c 
  • onset of symptoms c  
Look for
  • hypertension or hypotension c  
  • absent or reduced pulses c  
  • aortic regurgitation c  
  • evidence of a stroke or paralysis b  
 

Expiry date: August 2004
Levels of Evidence used in grading these guides

Author   CM   Ball
Reviewer   M   Briggs
CAT Writers   CM   Ball , CJ   Wotton