Early diagnosis and treatment may help save your life. An aortic dissection must be detected and treated quickly.
Aortic dissection can be difficult to diagnose. This is because the symptoms are similar to the symptoms of many other conditions. A CT scan of the whole aorta is the best way to confirm or rule out an aortic dissection
You can help with a diagnosis by reporting all symptoms and giving as much information as possible to the people treating you. You should still report symptoms even if they seem to have eased or disappeared. Let them know if you have a known risk of aortic dissection and wear a medical alert bracelet.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
