The cardiovascular diseases

THE AORTIC DISSECTION

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

THE CAUSES

1 - The most frequent cause is the existence of an evolved atheromatous illness:

Indeed, when the aorta is very atheromatous, it is very changed and becomes fragile. Thus, all of a sudden, an increase of the arterial pressure for example can provoke a rending of the aorta.

2 - The illnesses of the elastic tissue:

It is a cause of dissection in 10 to 15% of the cases: Marfan disease or Ehlers-Danlos disease. The Marfan disease is possible in the case of a long and thin subject with tapered hands and feet whose ancestors had the same morphotype.

The echocardiogram shows aortic and mitral valves with an abnormal size and suppleness and presence of a valvular regurgitation.

3 - The thoracic traumatisms:

An aortic dissection can follow the non-penetrating thoracic traumatisms, such as a deceleration for example (case of the car accident).

A badly achieved arteriography can get complicated with an aortic dissection.

4 - Pregnancy:

It is a favouring factor. In this context, it frequently occurs after the delivery.

5 - The congenital anomalies:

Very rarely, the aortic coarctation can come with an aortic dissection.

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File last reviewed on dec 18, 2011