Uncontrolled BP leads to aortic dissection

Vijayawada: Every chest pain is not a heart attack and about two people in every one lakh population suffer from Aortic dissection (AD), a rear heart disease caused due to uncontrolled blood pressure. 

People who suffer from this rare heart problem should be operated within 48 hours and mortality in patients suffering from Aortic Dissection is very high.

About nine patients were successfully treated at the Brain and Heart Institute, Andhra Hospital in the last two years and six months across the state, said Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dilip Kumar.

Speaking to ‘The Hans India’, Dr Dilip said that Aortic Dissection was a rare heart problem and if the patient was detected with Aortic dissection, the patient should be operated immediately without wasting any further time. 

He said due to high and uncontrolled blood pressure among patients with hypertension a tear would occur in the inner layer of the three layers of Aorta which carries the blood to the body. 

Once there is an internal tear, the blood starts spreading in turn causing chest pain. The patient with chest pain should be properly diagnosed by a specialised cardiologist. 

BP should be checked to both the arms and at other places of the body to find out, which area Aortic Dissection has occurred. 

It can be occurred at any place inside the heart or the left or the right pulmonary arteries. Based on the diagnoses, the first aid should be given unlike regular first aid for heart disease, said Dr Dilip.

He further said that mortality was so high that before the operation was performed on the patient, most of them die. 

Diagnosing Aortic Dissection and operation should be performed without any time gap. Post operation, the patient should follow strict medication, exercise and diet discipline.

Dr Dilip said that awareness on Aortic Dissection should be created and treatment to this rare heart problem was available at the upcoming capital of Amaravati and Vijayawada.

A 33-year-old patient Suresh from Macherla expressed his happiness and gratitude to the doctors for saving his life by diagnosing and operating on time. 

He was diagnosed with hypertension two years back and used medication for some time and stopped. 

He suffered heart problem and when checked he has 180/120 mm Hg BP. He was operated successfully and had recovered and was able to do his work.