Aortic Dissection Awareness Day – September 19, 2024

History of Aortic Dissection Awareness Day

Aortic dissection is a condition in which the inner layer of the body’s main artery (aorta) tears. Blood flowing through the aorta rushes out through the tear, which causes the inner and middle layers of the artery to split. If the individual’s blood flows through the outermost layer of the aorta, the dissection is usually deadly. The condition is generally uncommon. It tends to occur in men in their ’60s and ’70s.

The symptoms of aortic dissection are similar to the symptoms of several other heart conditions, often leading to a delay in the diagnosis of the problem. When the aortic dissection is spotted and subsequently treated in time, the patient’s chance of survival increases manyfold. The symptoms of aortic dissection include sudden and severe pain in the chest or upper back, sudden and severe stomach pain, loss of consciousness, shortness of breath, leg pain, weak pulse in one arm or thigh, and trouble walking. The condition is caused by a weakened aortic wall.

They are split into two groups, depending on which area is affected. Type A aortic dissection is more common and dangerous than type B, as it involves a tear in the part of the aorta that exits the heart; herein, the tear may occur in the upper aorta — this can extend to the abdomen. Type B involves a tear in the lower aorta only — this may also extend to the abdomen.

The earliest full documentation of aortic dissection is attributed to Frank Nicholls, who drafted an autopsy report of King George II of Great Britain in 1760. The term ‘aortic dissection’ was first used in 1802 by French physician J.P. Manoir. Surgery for aortic dissection was first developed by DeBakey, Cooley, and Creech in 1954. DeBakey developed the condition himself in 2005 and underwent surgery in 2006.