The aortic dissection

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The cardiovascular diseases

THE AORTIC DISSECTION

- Definition
- A few explanations
- The Symptoms
- How to make the diagnosis?
- The Causes
- Prognosis
- Treatment
- Conclusion

DEFINITION

The aorta is a big calibre artery coming directly out of the heart and distributing blood to the rest of the organism.

The aortic dissection is defined as the longitudinal splitting of the aorta wall. It is a relatively rare but serious disease, because the natural evolution of an acute aortic dissection can lead to the complete rupture of the aorta, a situation non compatible with life.

This is why the diagnosis of this disease must be the most precocious possible. The dissection is said acute if seen before the 14th day after its occurrence, and said chronic beyond.

File last modified on june 15, 2006

The coronarography, literally meaning the “x-ray of the coronary arteries”, is an exam requiring to puncture an artery of a member in order to introduce a hose through which a product impervious to X-rays will be injected, directly into the coronary arteries. More

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