An aortic dissection is a medical emergency. It needs immediate treatment.
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department now if:
Treatment may include surgery or medicines. There are different treatments for type A and type B aortic dissections.
Treating type A aortic dissection
A type A aortic dissection is an emergency and needs immediate treatment. Around half of all people will die within the first 48 hours if they do not get diagnosed and treated.
You will need open heart surgery to repair the damaged aorta. You may also need to have your aortic valve replaced. Around 8 out of 10 people survive this surgery.
Treating type B aortic dissection
Treatment for a type B aortic dissection is usually medicines such as beta blockers. These help control your blood pressure so that your aorta can heal. You will need to stay in hospital so your doctors can monitor your recovery.
If medicine does not stabilise your dissection, you may need other treatments.
These include:
- the placement of a stent through an artery in your groin
- surgery to repair the damaged aorta
You may not need surgery for a type B dissection if it did not rupture or interfere with blood flow to your legs or the organs in your tummy (abdomen).
Recovery from aortic dissection
Recovery is different for everyone.
During recovery, most people need to take medicine to lower their blood pressure. Some people may need to take this medicine for the rest of their life.
If you have a metal aortic valve, you will need to take warfarin for the rest of your life.
You will have regular checks with a specialist doctor, including CT or MRI scans. These are to monitor your aorta for any further problems.
It can take a few months to years for you to recover. But going back to an active and normal life is possible.
Complications of aortic dissection
Complications of an aortic dissection, with or without surgery, may include:
- paralysis, stroke or death
- weakness because of a long stay in hospital
- losing your voice - especially if your surgeon did surgery on the arch of your aorta
- problems with memory and thinking (brain fog)
- problems with your nerves, such as tingling fingers or numbness
- worry, depression, shock, mild post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety
It may take some time to get the right balance of medicines. Talk to your doctor if you have problems with side effects.