According to Karnath et al (2004), patients presenting
with aortic dissection complain of sudden-onset acute
chest pain described as tearing in nature. Ascending aortic
dissections tend to be represented with pain in the midline
anterior chest; whereas posterior dissections tend to
manifest with pain in the patient’s back (Sabatine and
Cannon, 2011). Risk factors for aortic dissections include
Marfan and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, bicuspid aortic
valve, pregnancy and hypertension. Aside from chest pain,
aortic dissection may also present with collapse and/or
neurological involvement when the blood supply to the
head and neck is compromised by the dissection.