Aortic dissection Tuakitanga pūtahi o te manawa

Aortic dissection is a rare condition where the wall of your aorta (the main artery carrying blood out of your heart) tears. An aortic dissection is a medical emergency.

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When to get urgent medical help

If you or someone near you has sudden, sharp chest pain with any of the following symptoms, call 111 and ask for an ambulance.

  • tummy, neck or back pain
  • loss of consciousness
  • shortness of breath
  • sudden fever and sweating
  • dizziness
  • loss of vision or blurry vision
  • weakness of your arms or legs.

If the aortic artery tears, blood then flows in between the layers of the artery wall, causing them to separate (dissect). This reduces the blood flow and oxygen supply to your body's organs such as your brain, kidneys and heart. It is a serious and life threatening condition. 

Causes of aortic dissection

The cause of an aortic dissection is often unclear.

However, several things can increase your risk. These include:

  • older age
  • being male
  • atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)
  • high blood pressure
  • pregnancy
  • heart surgery
  • blunt injury to the chest such as the steering wheel hitting your chest in a car accident.

Atherosclerosis

High blood pressure

Symptoms of aortic dissection

The symptoms of aortic dissection are usually sudden, and you can mistake them for a heart attack. You might feel:

  • a sudden severe chest pain
  • a sharp, stabbing or tearing sensation
  • tummy, back or neck pain
  • shortness of breath
  • light-headed.

If you think you or someone near you is suffering from an aortic dissection, phone 111 for an ambulance immediately.

Diagnosing aortic dissection

At the hospital, the doctor may do some testing to rule out a heart attack such as a heart tracing test (ECG) and blood test. They may also arrange tests like: 

  • an x-ray
  • a CT angiogram (CTA)
  • an echocardiogram.

Tests for blood vessel problems

Treating aortic dissection

You need to have treatment straight away as an aortic dissection is life-threatening.

You are likely to be given medication to lower your blood pressure.

If you need surgery, it might be:

  • endovascular repair — where the surgeon places a stent (a small plastic or metal tube) in your artery so your blood can flow through it instead of flowing through the damaged artery
  • traditional surgery — where the surgeon makes a cut through your chest or stomach to allow access to your artery. The surgeon then uses a graft to repair the artery.

Preventing aortic dissection

You cannot control all risk factors, but lifestyle changes can help you lower some risks. This means: