Aortic dissection
An aortic dissection is a serious condition in which the inner layer of the aorta, the large blood vessel branching off the heart tears. As the tear extends along the wall of the aorta, blood can flow in between the layers of the blood vessel wall (dissection). This can lead to aortic rupture or decreased blood flow (ischemia) to organs. Aortic dissection most often happens because of a tear or damage to the inner wall of the aorta. This very often occurs in the chest (thoracic) part of the artery, but it may also occur in the abdominal aorta.
Risk factors for aortic dissection include:
· The presence of an aneurysm
· Atherosclerosis (or buildup of plaque in the arteries)
· Certain genetic conditions like a bicuspid aortic valve
· Connective tissue diseases (such as Marfan syndrome) which run in families
· Traumatic injury after a car crash or from a high fall
· Family history of aortic dissection
Cardiology research Journals like Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine (CCCM) provides a global open access platform to put forth the ongoing research, reviews articles related to aortic dissection.
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