Aortic Dissection Awareness Day

Aortic Dissection Awareness Day is to inform people more about this rare but life-threatening disease. It is celebrated annually on September 19th.

History

Aortic dissection is a dangerous condition, characterized by the ingress of blood between the inner and middle layers of the aorta. Internal bleeding occurs as a result of a rupture of the artery wall. With the progression of the disease, blood can penetrate beyond the outer layer of the organ, thereby leading to death.

This condition is diagnosed annually in 5-7 patients per 100 thousand people. This is a fairly small indicator. 5% of sudden deaths are due to aortic dissection. Men are more susceptible to this disease, and according to statistics, it is diagnosed 2-3 times more often than in women. All people over the age of 60 are at risk. The main cause of aortic dissection is hypertension.

Symptoms are acute: blood pressure rises, there is a sharp pain in the chest, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Urgent medical attention is required. Delays can cost lives.

The first full-fledged study of this problem belongs to Frank Nicholls, who in 1760 did the autopsy of the English King George II, and then compiled a report. The term itself appeared only in 1802. Effective treatment through surgery was proposed only in 1954 – proposed by the American cardiac surgeons Michael E. DeBakey, Denton Cooley and Oscar Creech.

How to take part

Learn more about this dangerous condition on Aortic Dissection Awareness Day. Share it with your friends and family. You can also create a social media post to share it with other users.

Get a cardiovascular exam to make sure you have no health problems.

When is Aortic Dissection Awareness Day celebrated in 2023?

Aortic Dissection Awareness Day is observed on September 19 each year.

Observations