Guide To Aortic Dissection Types

Type A Aortic Dissection

Type A aortic dissection is an aortic dissection that initially occurs in the very first segment of an individual's aorta, the ascending aorta where blood is pushed in an upward direction. This type of aortic dissection is more prevalent among the population than type B aortic dissection. However, a type A is also a more dangerous type of aortic dissection than type B. Type A aortic dissection can begin as a small tear that progressively grows and extends through the upper aorta and down into the affected individual's abdomen. An individual who experiences a type A aortic dissection will have symptoms including a sudden, severe pain in the chest, tearing sensation in the chest, shortness of breath, and tearing sensation in the upper back. A type A aortic dissection is more likely to result in the rupture of the aorta and requires emergency surgery in most cases. Type A aortic dissections are fatal in one-third of all cases not treated within twenty-four hours. It is also fatal in half of all patients not treated within forty-eight hours.

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