Q. What is the life expectancy of someone with an aortic dissection?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
An aortic dissection is a serious medical condition where the inner lining of the aorta, the major artery in your body, tears. The tear causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall of the artery and can quickly lead to life-threatening consequences.
The overall outcome for someone with an aortic dissection depends on several factors: type of dissection (Stanford or DeBakey), size and location of the tear, patient’s age and general health status before onset. Stanford type dissections have higher mortality than DeBakey types.
As such, treatment options differ greatly depending on these factors. A patient with larger tears or whose condition has progressed rapidly since diagnosis may require emergency surgery while those with small tears and stable illness may be managed differently. In any case, urgent medical attention is paramount to ensure long-term health outcomes for those who suffer from this condition.
If properly diagnosed early on and treated adequately through either conservative management or surgical repair according to individual circumstances; life expectancy for individuals living with an aortic dissection can range from 2 years - 20+ years after diagnosis depending on their underlying heart conditions as well as other contributing factors like age at diagnosis & smoking history etc., However without proper treatment, about 80% pass away within 48 hours and even if given immediate medical care; mortality rate remains high within 1 year post-diagnosis (20%-60%). It is hence extremely important that if you notice any symptoms which could indicate an aortic dissection - such as chest pain radiating down arms/ neck/ back , shortness breath , fainting episodes ; immediately seek help !