Acute aortic syndrome

Acute aortic syndrome

Acute aortic syndrome is an umbrella term consisting of 3 interrelated conditions with similar clinical characteristics

• aortic dissection
• intramural haematoma
• symptomatic aortic ulcer (1)

European Society of Cardiologists' have classified of acute aortic syndrome into:

• type 1 - classic dissection with true and false lumens separated by the dissecting membranes
• type 2 - intramural haematoma
• type 3 - discrete dissection with a bulge at the tear site but no haematoma
• type 4 - penetrating aortic ulcer
• type 5 - traumatic or iatrogenic dissection (1)

Reference:

• (1) Thrumurthy SG et al. The diagnosis and management of aortic dissection. BMJ. 2011;344:d8290.