If not discovered in time, the mortality rate within 48 hours can be as high as 50%! This disease has been on the rise recently!

Recently, a super cold wave hit, and Changsha people once again experienced the power of "30℃ minus 25℃"! In this severe and complex weather, a disease has also entered its high incidence period, and it is aortic dissection!

Aortic dissection, this term may be unfamiliar to many people, but it is actually extremely dangerous. Now, let us follow Jiang Bin, director of the Department of Cardiology at Changsha Taihe Hospital, to learn about this "invisible killer"...

1. What is aortic dissection?

The aorta is a large blood vessel that runs from the heart to the chest and abdomen, connecting various organs. This blood vessel is 2 to 3 cm thick, like a water pipe, and its wall is divided into three layers, namely the intima, the middle membrane, and the adventitia.

The three layers of a normal arterial wall are very cohesive and tightly connected. If the intima is damaged, high-speed blood flow will rush into the blood vessel wall (between the intima and the media) through the damaged opening, and forcibly tear the three layers of the wall that were originally fused together, forming a cavity, and aortic dissection is formed.

According to data from the "China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report 2022", there are nearly 200,000 new cases of aortic dissection in China each year, among which the incidence rate in men is significantly higher than that in women, and is gradually showing a trend of becoming younger.

2. How dangerous is aortic dissection?

Director Jiang Bin explained that the blood supply of the human body originates from the heart and is transported to all parts of the body through the aorta. The aorta is like a highway for blood supply. If this "highway" is damaged and ruptured, it may collapse at any time , causing heavy bleeding, shock, and death in an instant.

Once aortic dissection occurs, if it is not diagnosed and treated in time, the mortality rate will increase by 1% for every hour of delay within 24 hours, and the mortality rate within 48 hours will be as high as 50%. Once ruptured and bleeding occurs, the patient may even die in just a few tens of seconds!

Aortic dissection occurs suddenly and is less predictable. The danger may occur at any time and place, including while working, resting, or sleeping. It is generally recommended to perform routine screening with aortic CT for early detection and early treatment.

3. Why does a sudden drop in temperature cause aortic dissection?

When the weather is hot and cold, the human body is most likely to experience blood pressure fluctuations, just like a sudden increase in water pressure in a water pipe can easily cause the pipe to burst. **A sudden increase in blood pressure can easily cause damage to the blood vessel walls, **and blood flow impact can cause aortic dissection.

In addition, in cold weather, people tend to consume high-calorie foods more easily, which leads to increased triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the body. If blood cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels are not well controlled, the patient's risk of aortic dissection will also increase.

4. What symptoms should you be alert to?

Although the onset of aortic dissection is difficult to predict, we can still make simple judgments based on some clues. The most characteristic symptom of acute aortic dissection is sudden, persistent, progressively worsening severe chest pain, which can appear stabbing, tearing, or knife-like .

At the same time, the patient may also experience symptoms such as pale face, difficulty breathing, sweating, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate, and syncope . It should be noted that the symptoms of aortic dissection are similar to those of many other diseases, so it is easy to be misdiagnosed.

Director Jiang Bin would like to remind everyone: Once you encounter acute aortic dissection, the golden time for rescue is theoretically within 6 hours . In principle, the sooner you get to the hospital, the better .

At the same time, please note: First, call 120 , do not drive to the hospital by yourself, it is best to send the patient directly to the chest pain center. Second, let the patient lie flat , try to keep quiet, and do not perform chest compressions. Third, pay close attention to changes in the patient's blood pressure and heart rate.

5. How to effectively prevent aortic dissection?

Controlling high blood pressure, improving arteriosclerosis, and avoiding trauma are the keys to preventing aortic dissection. Especially for patients with high blood pressure, blood pressure should be monitored regularly and medication should be taken on time under the guidance of a doctor. Strictly controlling blood pressure can effectively reduce the incidence of aortic dissection.

In addition, you should pay attention to keeping warm, develop a regular schedule, maintain a calm mind, eat a healthy diet, exercise appropriately, try to avoid sudden and large-scale twisting and stretching movements of the upper body, and have regular physical examinations.

Director Jiang Bin said that although aortic dissection is dangerous, it is not unpreventable or incurable, so everyone should increase their awareness and vigilance about this disease. Once related symptoms appear, they should seek medical attention immediately to avoid delaying treatment.

It should be emphasized that if the cause of chest pain is unknown, do not blindly use aspirin, and cardiac ultrasound examination should be the first choice. Because if the chest pain is caused by aortic dissection, once aspirin is taken, the drug enters the body to reduce platelet aggregation, which may aggravate the rupture and bleeding of aortic dissection. In more serious cases, it may lead to ineffective hemostasis during emergency surgery, causing irreversible consequences.

Source: Changsha Taihe Hospital

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(Edited by YT)