Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Missed as Acute Coronary Syndrome

Abstract

Although the aortic dissection is not common, its outcome is frequently fatal, and many patients with aortic dissection die before referral to the hospital or any diagnostic testing. The symptoms of aortic dissection can be similar to myocardial ischemia. A 66-year-old male referred to our hospital with suspicion of aortic dissection after echocardiography while evaluating for his high blood pressure. He had symptoms of acute coronary syndrome two years before and had done coronary angiography. On presentation to our hospital he had a high blood pressure. On reviewing his past medical history and examining, in the film of coronary angiography, the dissection flap in ascending aorta was identified. Although type A aortic dissection is a catastrophic condition with high mortality and requires prompt surgical treatment but in some cases it may be misdiagnosed as acute coronary syndrome. Sometimes against its high mortality when left untreated, patients survive and are diagnosed later in life incidentally. So it is of great importance to have great clinical suspicion for aortic dissection in patients referring to the hospital with chest pain and the predisposing factors.

Keywords

• aortic dissection
• coronary angiography
• echocardiography
• myocardial ischemia