A Simple Guide to Aortic Dissection, Diagnosis, Treatment and Related Conditions
A Simple Guide to Aortic Dissection, Diagnosis, Treatment and Related Conditions
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Overview
This book describes Aortic Dissection, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases
Aortic dissection is a serious disorder in which there is a tear in the wall of the major artery carrying blood out of the heart (aorta).
When the tear expands along the wall of the aorta, blood can stream in between the layers of the blood vessel wall (dissection).
Blood dashes through the tear, inducing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to split (dissect).
This can cause aortic rupture or reduced blood flow (ischemia) to organs.
If the blood goes through the outside aortic wall, aortic dissection is often fatal.
When an aortic dissection is diagnosed early and treated quickly, the chance of survival significantly improves.
Aortic dissection most often happens due to a tear or damage to the inner wall of the aorta.
This very often happens in the chest (thoracic) part of the artery, but it may also happen in the abdominal aorta.
When a tear happens, it produces 2 channels:
One in which blood persists to travel
Another where blood remains still
If the channel with non-traveling blood becomes larger, it can push on other branches of the aorta.
This can narrow the other branches and decrease blood flow through them.
An aortic dissection may also produce abnormal widening or ballooning of the aorta (aneurysm).
Aortic dissections are classified into two groups, depending on which part of the aorta is involved:
Type A
This frequent and dangerous type produces a tear in the part of the aorta where it exits the heart.
The tear may also happen in the upper aorta (ascending aorta), which may extend into the abdomen.
Type B
This type causes a tear in the lower aorta only (descending aorta), which may also extend into the abdomen.
Risk factors
Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
Weakened and bulging artery (aortic aneurysm)
An aortic valve defect (bicuspid aortic valve)
Narrowing of the aorta at birth (aortic coarctation)
Blunt trauma to the chest, such as hitting the steering wheel of a car during an accident
Heart surgery or procedures
Swelling of the blood vessels due to disorders such as arteritis and syphilis
Inflammation of the arteries (giant cell arteritis) may increase the risk of aortic dissection.
Certain genetic diseases raise the risk of having an aortic dissection, such as:
Turner syndrome: High blood pressure, heart problems
Marfan syndrome: This is a disorder in which connective tissue supporting various structures in the body, is weak.
Other connective tissue disorders:
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, connective tissue disorders that produce loose joints and fragile blood vessels and Loeys-Dietz syndrome, which produces twisted arteries, particularly in the neck.
Other possible risk factors
Sex: Men are more likely than women.
Age: Aortic dissection is more likely in ages 60 and older.
Cocaine use: This drug raises blood pressure.
Pregnancy: Often aortic dissections occur during pregnancy.
High-intensity weightlifting: This raises blood pressure
In most cases, the symptoms start suddenly, and involve severe chest pain
Echocardiography is the imaging method for detecting aortic dissection
An aortic dissection is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment.
Dissections in the part of the aorta leaving the heart (ascending) are treated with surgery.
Dissections in other parts of the aorta (descending) may be treated with surgery or medicines.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Aortic Dissection
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
Chapter 8 Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Epilogue
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940165742743 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Kenneth Kee |
| Publication date: | 12/31/2021 |
| Sold by: | Smashwords |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 370 KB |
About the Author
Medical doctor since 1972.
Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.
Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.
Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 70.
However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in
the afternoon.
He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.
His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com
This autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.
From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.
He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.
He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.
Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.
For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.
The later books go into more details of medical disorders.
He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.
The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.
He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.
His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.
The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.
He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) starting
with the Apple computer and going to PC.
The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.
The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.
He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.
His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.
The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.
This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.
Dr Kee is the author of:
"A Family Doctor's Tale"
"Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine"
"Case Notes From A Family Doctor"