Aortic dissection is a serious condition where the inner layer of the aorta, the body’s main artery, tears and blood rushes between the layers of the aortic wall. This weakens the aorta and can potentially lead to rupture of blood flow to vital organs.
Aortic dissection is a life-threatening medical emergency that needs urgent diagnosis and treatment, yet is still often misdiagnosed. It is often missed in younger patients or those not typically seen as high risk.
Sadly, it causes more deaths each year than road traffic accidents in the UK. Quick diagnosis can be the difference between life and death and so knowing what to look out for is vital.
Common symptoms of aortic dissection
Symptoms can vary and may mimic other more common conditions like heart attacks or a stroke. Knowing what to look out for could save a life:
- Sudden, severe chest pain, often described as “ripping” or “tearing”
- Pain that moves to the neck, back, jaw, or abdomen
- Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
- Loss of consciousness or fainting
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Sweating, nausea, or dizziness
- Low blood pressure or pulse differences between limbs
Notably, pain can be brief or migratory, and in some cases may subside before returning, misleading both patients and doctors.
When diagnosis is delayed or missed
Around 30% of aortic dissections are linked to genetic conditions such as Marfan syndrome or vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, affecting people at younger ages than typically expected. It’s also a leading cause of maternal cardiac death. Unfortunately, aortic dissection is still frequently overlooked in these groups.
If a diagnosis is missed, the consequences can be catastrophic. Blood tests, ECGs, and chest x-rays cannot rule it out. The gold standard is a CT angiogram or MRI of the entire aorta, which is why the guidance rule should be “THINK AORTA”.
What you can do
If you’ve experienced severe, sudden pain and were not given a CT scan, especially if symptoms persisted or returned, it’s important to seek specialist follow-up. If you believe that medical professionals failed to investigate your symptoms, or those of your familyproperly and this led to a delay in diagnosis or treatment, legal advice may help you understand your options.
We’re here to help. Our medical negligence team understands the complexities of aortic dissection cases and will guide you clearly through every step of the claims process.
Read our case study and find out more about how we can help: Aortic Dissection Medical Negligence Claims
