A greater incidence of aortic aneurysm is seen in cigarette smokers; Ball had been a heavy smoker most of her life.Playwright Jonathan Larson, best known for the musical Rent, died in 1996 of an aortic dissection believed to be due to undiagnosed Marfan Syndrome. Days of Our Lives and Babylon 5 actor Richard Biggs died on May 22, 2004 at the age of 44 due to complications from aortic dissection.Lux Interior of The Cramps died at the Glendale Memorial Hospital on February 4, 2009, at the age of 62, following an aortic dissection which, contrary to initial reports about a pre-existing condition, was "sudden, shocking and unexpected".Alan Thicke died in 2016 of type-A aortic dissection at the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, at the age of 69.Japanese actress Hiromi Tsuru died in her car from aortic dissection in 2017 at the age of 57.Taiwanese entertainer Alien Huang died in 2020 at the age of 36.Kentaro Miura, writer and artist of the manga Berserk, died from aortic dissection in 2021 at the age of 54.In August 2021, New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns was put on full life support following an aortic dissection in his home in Canberra, Australia. He was transferred to Sydney, and became paralysed from the waist down due to sustaining a stroke during surgery. 41-year-old guitarist Richie Faulkner of the heavy metal band Judas Priest had an aortic aneurysm on September 27, 2021, in the middle of the final song of their 50-minute set at a music festival.
Concern should be increased in those with low blood pressure, neurological problems, and an unequal pulses.While taking a good history from the individual may be strongly suggestive of an aortic dissection, the diagnosis cannot always be made by history and physical signs alone. Often, the diagnosis is made by visualization of the intimal flap on a diagnostic imaging test. Common tests used to diagnose an aortic dissection include a CT scan of the chest with iodinated contrast material and a transesophageal echocardiogram. The proximity of the aorta to the esophagus allows the use of higher-frequency ultrasound for better anatomical images. Other tests that may be used include an aortogram or magnetic resonance angiogram of the aorta. Each of these tests has pros and cons, and they do not have equal sensitivities and specificities in the diagnosis of aortic dissection.In general, the imaging technique chosen is based on the pretest likelihood of the diagnosis, availability of the testing modality, patient stability, and the sensitivity and specificity of the test. D-dimer
A measurement of blood D-dimer level may be useful in diagnostic evaluation. A level less than 500 ng/ml may be considered evidence against a diagnosis of aortic dissection, although this guideline is only applicable in cases deemed "low risk" and within 24 hours of symptom onset. The American Heart Association does not advise using this test in making the diagnosis, as evidence is still tentative. Chest X-ray
Chest radiography may although demonstrate a change in the morphology of the thoracic aorta which can be seen in aortic dissection.