Aortic Dissection

Question: what are the odds of surviving a aortic dissection? In 2004 my wife was in a car accident and she had to have a aortic dissection done. She survived but I know little about this procedure. What are the odds that people will survive this procedure. Also did she have to have the aortic dissection because of the car wreck or was this just something she was going to have to have done anyways?

Answer: Very few survive an aortic dissection of any kind. If it happened during an accident then she is very lucky to survive... I would thank the Paramedics as well as the Doctors both. Aortic dissections during a car accident are not at all uncommon... at least in major accidents!! Most people bleed out before they get removed from the car or die just about the time they get to the ER. Now that being said you asked, "or was this something she was going to have to have done anyway?" If your referring to a AAA or abdominal aortic aneurysm then I would say the answer is an aortic dissection is different than a AAA. AAA's do involve the aorta, but they are usually caused by other life factors(age, tall / skinny, males) not by accidents. I have seen both being a Paramedic, but I can tell you either one does not have a high survival rate... Thank GOD and everyone who has helped her.

Question: Is it dangerous for me to excercise and get my heartbeat up if I had an aortic dissection 3 yrs ago? Three years ago I was in a car wreck and had an aortic dissection due to the impact. I have never been one to excercise at all, but have turned 30 and really want to get rid of some extra pounds. Is it dangerous for me excercise? I get nervous about my heart when it starts beating fast.

Answer: You should see your Cardiologist before deciding on type of and level of exercise you'd be allowed to pursue. It's very difficult to answer you more precisely from the info you shared, but basically, moderate walk is something that never hurt a soul. As for your heart rate - of course, it's completely reasonable it makes you nervous when it rises fast, BUT, the "catch 22" is also the fact that you're not in shape and consequently, your heart races faster due to lack of training. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean you should beat yourself with that, but work a bit on your eating habits, control coffee drinking (and, smoking - if you do smoke) and start with moderate speed walks - at least, before you schedule an appointment with your Doc. Good luck and take care! :)

Question: If a person is diagnosed with aortic dissection, what does he or she have secondary to aortic dissection? secondary to (as result of) aortic dissection Someone please help me with this.

Answer: The aorta can rupture, they can develop stroke, heart attack, organ hypoperfusion.

Question: What is the typical lifespan of a person that has survived an aortic dissection? had surgical repair Graft,however still have a type b chronic dissection,have not found any long term info

Answer: I am a 36 yo male who survived a type A dissection in 2002. My aortic valve has been replaced and my aortic has been partially repaired by a graft (the rest was left alone after clotting off on its own and now has to be monitored at least once a year). I can't tell you how long you will survive because I know very little about medicine and/or you. I know its frustrating because doctors do not want to make promises or say anything definite about something like this. There are few doctors that really have an expertise in this. If it makes you feel better I was told (by one of the experts who specializes in the aorta) two years later that I could easily live a full life way into my 80's.

Question: How to treat aortic dissection complicated by STEMI? Since you can't use anticoagulation, how do you usually manage? STEMI from dissection usu is from extension into coronary arteries. Therefore it is a proximal dissection. So surgery first or medRx first?

Answer: according to blueprints cardiology, the answer would be dependent on the type of aortic dissection (ascending vs descending) and if it is a complicated case (e.g. end organ ischemia or rupture of the aneurysm), but generally labetalol and nitroprusside would be your first line of medical management, since anticoagulation is absolutely contraindicated.

Question: What Kind Of Weightlifting Can Cause Aortic Dissection? I like to lift. What should I watch out for? Specific excercises and rep ranges.

Answer: Lifting weight is contraindicated in your case.

Question: Can a regular echocardiogram detect an aortic dissection? i had one earlier this week due to a finding of "possible left ventricular hypertrophy". I just need to know that.

Answer: Yes James it could show dilation of the aortic root and aortic reguritation edit: James it would also measure the thickness of your ventricles so the next time your with the cardiologist bring this up with him.

Question: can an aortic dissection cause unilateral leg ischemia? does it cause one leg or both legs to be ischemic?

Answer: It CAN cause both or just one. The reason is that the dissection can involve the entire iliac bifurcation, or it can hit just one of the iliacs.

Question: Anybody else out here living with Type B aortic dissection? I am on medical management for about two years now, last CT scan showed I was stable. I get so paranoid all the time and wonder how others are coping.

Answer: check out yahoo groups they a heart group there you might join

Question: I had an aortic dissection and emergency surgery. It has left me with very poor balance , eyesight and speech. aewe there legal issues i should pursue?

Answer: even if you decided to sue, they would come back at you hard!! they would tell you that you are extremely lucky to be alive! but if it was due to something they done wrong in the surgury, then you might hava a case..