The wider implications of AD-related AR and pulmonary oedema

When aortic dissection (AD) presents with aortic regurgitation (AR) and pulmonary edema the coexistence of chest pain should be sufficient to raise the index of suspicion for AD, as was the case in the recent report [1]. Even when chest pain is initially attributed to acute myocardial infarction(AMI) [2,3], and the electrocardiogram is supportive of that diagnosis, the coexistence of AR and either pulmonary edema [2] or pulmonary congestion [3] should still raise awareness of AD, given the fact that AD could be an underlying cause of both AMI [4] and AR [1].
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Source Type: research