A Guide To Acute Aortic Dissection

What is it? Risk Treatments Role Research Participate Conclusion

Match to Acute Aortic Dissection Clinical Trials

Start Matching

What is Acute Aortic Dissection?

An acute aortic dissection is a severe condition that affects the aorta, the large blood vessel that branches off from the heart. The condition arises when the aortic tears suddenly. Blood rushes into the tear, which causes the inner and outer layers of it to separate. This separation is medically termed dissection.

Acute aortic dissection can prove fatal within a very short period of time if the blood-filled channel then breaks through the outer aortic wall. Aortic dissection clinical trials focus on finding ways to repair the damage such that fuller functionality can be restored and the danger reduced.

Who Is at Risk for Acute Aortic Dissection?

Men in their 60s and 70s are more likely than others to suffer from acute aortic dissection. The condition, though serious, is relatively rare. Aortic dissection clinical research has shown that this issue is under-diagnosed. Many symptoms can be easily mistaken for the results of other health conditions.

Common symptoms include:

  • Sudden and severe pain localized in the chest or the upper back
  • Sudden severe abdomen pain, with or separate from the above
  • Shortness of breath
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Stroke-like symptoms including difficulty speaking, loss of vision, weakness, or partial paralysis
  • Leg pain or paralysis, potentially accompanied by difficulty walking
  • A weak pulse in one leg or thigh as compared to the other one

Match to Acute Aortic Dissection Clinical Trials

Start Matching

Current Treatments for Acute Aortic Dissection

Surgery and medication options depend on whether the patient has a “Type A” or “Type B” dissection.

TYPE A

The more common and more dangerous type involves a tear where the aorta exits the heart or one in the upper aorta where it could extend into the abdomen. Surgery can be used to remove the dissected aorta, halt blood flow into the aortic wall, and reconstruct the damaged blood vessel with a synthetic alternative.

TYPE B

The less common Type B involves a tear localized in the lower aorta only. In addition to the surgical options above, stents can be used to reconstruct an aorta with relatively minor damage. In both cases, medication that reduces blood pressure may be used to make further damage less likely and to prepare for surgery.

The Role of Aortic Dissection Clinical Studies

Aortic dissection clinical research has been going on for many years. In aortic dissection research studies, cardiologists – doctors who study the heart – test out surgical interventions and medication that could help people with acute aortic dissection live longer and healthier.

This often comes in the form of aortic dissection clinical studies, structured tests of potential treatments. The treatments are often in the late stages of approval to enter the wider healthcare market. At that phase of the process, aortic dissection clinical trials gather data on how treatment affects various patient groups.

Another aspect of aortic dissection research studies is early detection of the disease. Cardiovascular diagnostic imaging technologies can help doctors pinpoint the location and severity of a dissection. This may make it easier to treat the problem and helps ensure it will be recognized for what it is.

The Most Promising Recent Aortic Dissection Clinical Research

Aortic dissection clinical trials are ongoing today. These studies mainly recruit men in their 50s and above, but women are increasingly represented. Hospitals and medical research labs all over the country are continuing to look for new aortic dissection surgery, aortic dissection medication, and other aortic dissection treatments.

The majority of Type A aortic dissection patients are managed surgically, with the number of procedures going up in recent years. With that in mind, many studies have been performed to test out safer and more effective ways to repair aorta damage. Robotic tools have been at the center of an increasing number of tests.

Type B aortic dissection has much lower mortality rates overall, and most deaths occur in the first week. With longer time horizons, there are more opportunities for management of the disorder through medication. At the same time, more studies are focusing on the predictive factors that can enable earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Participate in Aortic Dissection Clinical Studies

The following list includes all of the aortic dissection research studies now registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. If you are a current acute aortic dissection patient, you may qualify to participate. Some studies also accept close relatives of aortic dissection sufferers in order to research the genetic factors involved in the disease.

To add a new clinical study to this list, email our team, and review the trials that are currently recruiting below:

Conclusion

Acute aortic dissection is a rare but life-changing disorder. To improve patient outcomes and quality of life, it is crucial that more people participate in the relevant clinical studies. Working together, we can create more acute aortic dissection clinical resources that will help people manage and avoid this condition.

Match to Acute Aortic Dissection Clinical Trials

Start Matching