Have you ever heard of the term aortic dissection, which is like a "time bomb" hidden deep in the blood vessels, and once it occurs, the consequences are unimaginable. Aortic dissection is a life-threatening cardiovascular emergency with increasing incidence year by year, and is often closely related to chronic diseases such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
What is aortic dissection?
The aorta is the largest artery in the body and is responsible for pumping blood from the heart to all parts of the body. Aortic dissection is a tear between the lining and media of the aorta that creates a false lumen that allows blood to flow between the true and false lumen. This condition is like a "dissection" inside the blood vessel, and once the dissection ruptures, it will lead to massive bleeding and is life-threatening.
Causes of aortic dissection
The causes of aortic dissection are varied, with hypertension being the most important risk factor. Long-term high blood pressure can damage the walls of the aortic blood vessels, gradually thinning, brittle, and tearing. In addition, factors such as arteriosclerosis, Marfan syndrome, and congenital cardiovascular malformations may also increase the risk of aortic dissection.
Who are the at-risk groups?
1. Patients with hypertension: patients with long-term hypertension and poor control have a significantly higher incidence of aortic dissection.
2. Atherosclerosis patients: A large amount of lipids are deposited on the inner wall of blood vessels, forming plaques, making the blood vessel walls fragile.
3. Genetic factors: Hereditary diseases such as Marfan syndrome, patients with abnormal aortic wall structure and are prone to dissection.
Once aortic dissection ruptures, it can quickly lead to massive bleeding, shock and even death in a short period of time, and it is extremely dangerous. In addition, dissection may compress surrounding vital organs or blood vessels, causing corresponding dysfunction.
Signs of aortic dissection
It can cause intense chest or back pain and can sometimes be mistaken for angina or other conditions.
Other signals may include, but are not limited to:
1. Severe headache, facial or neck pain
2. Sudden difficulty breathing
3. Feeling of paralysis or weakness in half of the body
4. Slurred speech or blurred vision
5. Confusion or syncope
How to treat aortic dissection
1. Emergency Treatment:
Closely monitor hemodynamic parameters, including blood pressure, heart rate, heart rhythm, and fluid balance.
Patients with heart failure or hypotension should also have central venous pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and cardiac output monitored.
Patients should be on absolute bed rest and receive intensive sedation and analgesia, with higher doses of intravenous morphine or hibernation if necessary.
2. Medication:
To quickly reduce systolic blood pressure to 100~120mmHg or lower, antihypertensive drugs such as sodium nitroprusside can be used.
Slowing the heart rate to 60~70 beats/min and reducing left ventricular tension and contractility to prevent further expansion of the dissection β the effect of intravenous administration of receptor antagonists.
3. Interventional Therapy:
A stent with membrane is inserted into the aorta to close the tear and widen the true lumen.
Interventional therapy has become the preferred treatment for most descending aortic dissections, which is not only significantly better than traditional conservative medical treatment and surgical treatment, but also avoids the risk of surgery, greatly reduces postoperative complications, and significantly reduces the overall mortality rate.
4. Surgical Treatment:
Repair of tears, emptying of prosthetic cavities, or artificial vascular grafting.
It should be noted that the mortality rate and postoperative complication rate are high.
In recent years, it has been advocated that emergency surgery should be performed in patients with or without important organ involvement in the acute stage, in order to save the lives of more patients. In addition, aortic dissection is an extremely dangerous disease, and the traditional single treatment model can no longer meet the needs of treatment. The MDT model has been widely adopted by advanced developed countries, and some top medical institutions in China have also carried out it, and patients can go to qualified and experienced hospitals for treatment according to their personal conditions.
The diagnosis of aortic dissection is mainly based on imaging tests, such as CT angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), etc. These tests can clearly show the location, extent, and severity of aortic dissection, which provides an important basis for the development of treatment plans.
The treatment of aortic dissection needs to take into account the specific situation and severity of the patient's condition, and choose the appropriate treatment plan. If you or someone close to you has concerns or symptoms of aortic dissection, seek immediate medical attention for diagnosis and treatment by a medical professional.
How to prevent it
Aortic dissection is a dangerous condition, and prevention is crucial. Here are some suggestions to prevent aortic dissection:
1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Eat a balanced diet, reduce your intake of high-fat and high-salt foods, and increase your intake of vegetables, fruits, and fiber. Quit smoking, limit alcohol, avoid overeating, and maintain an appropriate weight. Long-term smoking, drinking, sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy diet, like a diet high in oil, sugar, and salt are all bad lifestyle habits that should be adjusted as soon as possible.
2. Control hypertension: Hypertension is the main risk factor for aortic dissection, so measure blood pressure regularly, if high blood pressure is found, it should be actively treated, take antihypertensive drugs according to the doctor's instructions, and control blood pressure within the normal range. Irregular medication and unauthorized withdrawal of medication may lead to poor blood pressure control and increase the risk of aortic dissection.
3. Avoid strenuous exercise: Excessive exercise or strenuous exercise may increase the risk of aortic dissection, especially for people at risk of high blood pressure or arteriosclerosis. Moderate aerobic exercise should be chosen, such as walking, jogging, swimming, etc.
4. Regular physical examination: Regular physical examination, including blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar and other indicators, as well as cardiac ultrasound or CT scan and other examinations, to detect abnormalities and treat them early.
5. Follow the doctor's instructions: For people at risk of arterial disease, they should actively follow the doctor's treatment plan, take medication on time, and control the progression of the disease.
These precautions need to be adhered to over a long period of time and should be appropriately adjusted according to individual circumstances. If you have any concerns or symptoms about aortic dissection, you should seek medical attention immediately for diagnosis and treatment by a medical professional.
Although aortic dissection is dangerous, it is not preventable or incurable. The key is to enhance self-care awareness, grasp the knowledge of related diseases, actively cooperate with doctors for treatment, and do a good job of various protective measures in life. Let us face this "time bomb" together, and take health firmly in our own hands with a scientific attitude and method.