Aortic dissection refers to the tearing or separation of the walls of the aorta secondary to a tear in the inner walls.  With this tear in the inner layers of the aorta, blood flow will be forcibly redirected to the middle layers causing them to separate or undergo dissection. The aorta is the biggest blood vessel that is connected to the heart and when its walls are dissected, serious symptoms can be felt by patients with many of them mimicking other heart-related ailments and conditions.  In rare cases wherein the dissection affects the outside layers of the aorta, this condition could lead to death.

Most patients diagnosed to have aortic dissection experience severe chest pains.  This is is especially true for cases that affect the ascending aorta.  If the affected part is the descending aorta, pain may be felt at the upper back in between the scapula. There are also cases wherein the pain is felt in the abdominal area with some radiating to the lower extremities.  Similar to other heart conditions, some patients may also have difficulty in breathing, body weakness, and nausea.  In terms of incidence, this medical condition is considered rare and affects mostly elderly male patients beyond the age of 60.

High blood pressure is often the culprit in many cases of aortic dissection. With elevated pressure, the sensitive inner walls of the aorta are very vulnerable to tears leading to the separation of the inner and middle layers.  Patients with connective tissue disorder s are also said to be prone to developing aortic dissection.  For the treatment, some types of aortic dissection may be managed by medication.   Complicated cases of aortic dissection meanwhile require surgical treatment.  In many cases, the affected part of the blood vessel may be replaced with a synthetic tube.  There are also cases wherein the aortic valve will also be surgically replaced.