Aortic dissection

Abdominal aortic aneurysm Acute coronary syndrome (NSTEMI)Acute coronary syndrome (STEMI)Acute decompensated heart failure Acute limb ischemia Acute mesenteric ischemia Aortic dissection Aortic stenosis Atrial fibrillation and flutter Bradyarrhythmia and heart block Cardiac arrest Deep vein thrombosis Myocarditis Pericarditis Pulmonary embolism Stable angina Superficial thrombophlebitis Superior vena cava syndrome Supraventricular tachycardia Syncope (cardiogenic)Unstable angina Ventricular tachycardia

Acute bronchitis Acute respiratory failure Aspiration pneumonia Asthma exacerbation Bronchiolitis Community-acquired pneumonia COVID-19 pneumonia COPD exacerbation Croup Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis)Epiglottitis Hemothorax Hospital-acquired pneumonia Pleural effusion Pneumothorax (traumatic)Pulmonary contusion Spontaneous pneumothorax

Bell's palsy Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo Brain abscess Cauda equina syndrome Cervical radiculopathy Concussion (mild traumatic brain injury)Encephalitis Guillain-Barré syndrome Hemorrhagic stroke (intracerebral)Ischemic stroke Lumbar radiculopathy Malignant spinal cord compression Migraine Peripheral neuropathy (acute)Retropharyngeal abscess Schizophrenia (acute exacerbation)Seizure (breakthrough:known epilepsy)Seizure (first-time)Spinal cord injury Status epilepticus Subarachnoid hemorrhage Tension headache Transient ischemic attack Traumatic brain injury (moderate-severe)Vestibular neuritis Viral meningitis

Acute appendicitis Acute cholecystitis Acute diverticulitis Acute pancreatitis Anal fissure Choledocholithiasis and cholangitis Clostridioides difficile colitis Gastritis Gastroenteritis (viral and bacterial)Gastroesophageal reflux disease Incarcerated or strangulated hernia Inflammatory bowel disease flare Large bowel obstruction Lower GI hemorrhage Peptic ulcer disease Perforated viscus Small bowel obstruction Upper GI hemorrhage

Acute prostatitis Acute urinary retention Ectopic pregnancy Epididymitis Orchitis Ovarian torsion Paraphimosis Pelvic inflammatory disease Priapism Pyelonephritis Renal laceration Ruptured ovarian cyst Testicular torsion Tubo-ovarian abscess Urinary tract infection (uncomplicated)Urolithiasis (renal colic)Vaginal bleeding (non-pregnant)

Acute sinusitis Acute tonsillitis Acute upper respiratory infection Animal bite Bacterial meningitis Cellulitis Conjunctivitis (bacterial)Dental abscess Endocarditis Febrile neutropenia Fournier gangrene Hand-foot-mouth disease Hepatitis (acute)Herpes zoster HIV-related illness Human bite Impetigo Infected diabetic foot ulcer Infectious mononucleosis Influenza Necrotizing fasciitis Osteomyelitis Otitis externa Parasitic infection Periorbital cellulitis Peritonsillar abscess Scabies Sepsis Septic arthritis Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis Tick-borne illness (Lyme disease)Tinea infection Tuberculosis Viral exanthem Wound infection

Achilles tendon rupture ACL and mceniscus tear Ankle fracture Ankle sprain Burn Calcaneus fracture Cervical spine fracture Clavicle fracture Dental avulsion Distal radius fracture Drowning Elbow fracture and dislocation Electrical injury Facial bone fracture Facial laceration Femur fracture Fingertip amputation Forearm fracture (radius and ulna)Frostbite Hand:finger laceration Heat exhaustion Heat stroke Hip fracture Humeral shaft fracture Knee dislocation Knee sprain Lightning injury Mandible fracture Metacarpal fracture Metatarsal fracture Muscle strain Nasal fracture Non-accidental trauma Orbital fracture Patella fracture Phalanx fracture (finger)Proximal humerus fracture Pulmonary contusion Rib fracture Rotator cuff tear (acute traumatic)Scalp laceration Scaphoid fracture Shoulder dislocation Skull fracture Splenic laceration Sternal fracture Supracondylar pediatric fracture Tendon laceration (hand:wrist)Thoracic and lumbar spine fracture Tibia:fibula fracture Tibial plateau fracture Toe fracture Traumatic epistaxis Traumatic hyphema

Acetaminophen toxicity Alcohol intoxication Alcohol withdrawal Anticholinergic toxicity Anticoagulant overdose Benzodiazepine overdose Benzodiazepine:sedative overdose Beta-blocker and calcium channel blocker toxicity Carbon monoxide poisoning Caustic ingestion Digoxin toxicity Drug eruption Foreign body ingestion Opioid intoxication Opioid overdose Opioid withdrawal Organophosphate Salicylate toxicity Serotonin syndrome Stimulant intoxication (cocaine, methamphetamine)Tricyclic antidepressant overdose

Acute anxiety Acute psychosis Agitation:behavioral emergency Bipolar disorder Conversion disorder Major depressive episode Neuroleptic malignant syndrome Suicidal ideation and attempt

Acute low back pain (mechanical)Bursitis Cervical radiculopathy Costochondritis Gout (acute)Lumbar radiculopathy Pseudogout Tendinitis

Acute eczema (Eczema acute flare)Allergic contact dermatitis Erythema multiforme Henoch-Schönlein purpura Pressure injury Psoriasis (acute flare)Stevens-Johnson syndrome Toxic epidermal necrolysis Urticaria (acute)

Envenomation (snake, spider, insect)High-altitude illness Hypothermia

Acute chest syndrome Coagulopathy Hyperviscosity syndrome Sickle cell crisis (vaso-occlusive)Symptomatic anemia Thrombocytopenia (severe)Tumor lysis syndrome

Bronchiolitis Croup Emergency delivery Febrile seizure Kawasaki disease Neonatal jaundice Neonatal sepsis Nursemaid's elbow Pediatric fever 0 to 28 days Pediatric fever 29 to 60 days Pediatric fever 61 to 90 days Pyloric stenosis Slipped capital femoral epiphysis Intussusception

Adrenal crisis Diabetic ketoacidosis Hypercalcemia Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state Hypertensive emergency Hypertensive urgency Hypoglycemia Myasthenia gravis crisis Myxedema coma Severe hyperkalemia Severe hyponatremia Thyroid storm

Acute laryngitis Acute otitis media Acute pharyngitis Cerumen impaction Epistaxis (anterior)Nasal foreign body Otitis externa Tympanic membrane perforation

Acute angle-closure glaucoma Central retinal artery occlusion Chemical eye injury Corneal abrasion Corneal ulcer Globe rupture Ocular foreign body Orbital cellulitis Retinal detachment

Hyperemesis gravidarum Painful vaginal bleeding in pregnancy Placenta previa Placental abruption Preeclampsia:eclampsia Preterm labor Threatened:inevitable:incomplete abortion

Anaphylaxis Angioedema Cannabis-induced hyperemesis

Aortic dissection

Clinical Assessment Checklist

Browse categories and answer follow-up questions to refine your symptom profile.

Immediate priorities

Resuscitation priorities

High-acuity bed and team activation for suspected acute aortic syndrome

Simultaneous pain control and hemodynamic control to reduce aortic shear stress

Airway strategy

If respiratory failure or refractory agitation, initiate RSI with hemodynamic-optimized induction

Circulation setup

Two large-bore IV lines

If shock, add rapid infuser capability

If titratable vasoactive therapy, arterial line

Monitoring

Continuous ECG

SpO2

Noninvasive BP in both arms if feasible

End-tidal CO2 if intubated

Hemodynamic targets

Anti-impulse targets

Heart rate target 60 beats/min

If pain or anxiety driving tachycardia, analgesia-first plus beta-blockade

Systolic blood pressure target 100 to 120 mmHg if perfusing

If altered mentation, ischemic limb, or oliguria, individualized higher target for end-organ perfusion

Pulse pressure minimization

Beta-blocker before vasodilator to avoid reflex tachycardia

Early diagnostic pathway

Time-critical pathway

If high clinical suspicion, definitive aortic imaging without delay for labs

CT angiography chest-abdomen-pelvis with arterial phase as default in stable patient

If unstable and CT not immediately feasible, bedside echocardiography for complications

Pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology

Aortic root dilation

Acute aortic regurgitation

If neurologic deficit, avoid anchoring on stroke pathway alone

Concurrent aortic imaging when dissection features present

Consultation triggers

Definitive care activation

If Stanford Type A suspected, immediate cardiothoracic surgery consultation

Transfer planning to aortic-capable center if not available onsite

If complicated Stanford Type B suspected, vascular surgery or endovascular team consultation

TEVAR capability assessment and transfer planning

Multidisciplinary coordination

Emergency medicine, anesthesia, cardiology, radiology, surgery, ICU

PITFALLS

Diagnostic and management pitfalls

Normal chest radiograph does not exclude dissection

Maintain imaging threshold with high-risk features

Painless dissection presentations

Syncope

Stroke-like symptoms

Ischemic ECG changes can coexist with dissection

Avoid routine thrombolysis without excluding dissection when features present

Vasodilator-first strategy

Reflex tachycardia and increased shear stress risk

PEARLS

High-yield pearls

Pain plus tachycardia equals shear stress

Analgesia plus anti-impulse therapy early

Type A is a surgical emergency

Imaging and transfer decisions measured in minutes

Check bilateral arm BP and pulses when feasible

Abnormal findings increase suspicion but absence does not exclude

Medical Disclaimer

SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.

Last Reviewed: January 15, 2026 by SymptomDX Medical Team

SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.

← Management Protocols

Home Management ProtocolsAortic dissection

Aortic dissection

Clinical Assessment Checklist

Browse categories and answer follow-up questions to refine your symptom profile.

Immediate priorities

Resuscitation priorities

High-acuity bed and team activation for suspected acute aortic syndrome

Simultaneous pain control and hemodynamic control to reduce aortic shear stress

Airway strategy

If respiratory failure or refractory agitation, initiate RSI with hemodynamic-optimized induction

Circulation setup

Two large-bore IV lines

If shock, add rapid infuser capability

If titratable vasoactive therapy, arterial line

Monitoring

Continuous ECG

SpO2

Noninvasive BP in both arms if feasible

End-tidal CO2 if intubated

Hemodynamic targets

Anti-impulse targets

Heart rate target 60 beats/min

If pain or anxiety driving tachycardia, analgesia-first plus beta-blockade

Systolic blood pressure target 100 to 120 mmHg if perfusing

If altered mentation, ischemic limb, or oliguria, individualized higher target for end-organ perfusion

Pulse pressure minimization

Beta-blocker before vasodilator to avoid reflex tachycardia

Early diagnostic pathway

Time-critical pathway

If high clinical suspicion, definitive aortic imaging without delay for labs

CT angiography chest-abdomen-pelvis with arterial phase as default in stable patient

If unstable and CT not immediately feasible, bedside echocardiography for complications

Pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology

Aortic root dilation

Acute aortic regurgitation

If neurologic deficit, avoid anchoring on stroke pathway alone

Concurrent aortic imaging when dissection features present

Consultation triggers

Definitive care activation

If Stanford Type A suspected, immediate cardiothoracic surgery consultation

Transfer planning to aortic-capable center if not available onsite

If complicated Stanford Type B suspected, vascular surgery or endovascular team consultation

TEVAR capability assessment and transfer planning

Multidisciplinary coordination

Emergency medicine, anesthesia, cardiology, radiology, surgery, ICU

PITFALLS

Diagnostic and management pitfalls

Normal chest radiograph does not exclude dissection

Maintain imaging threshold with high-risk features

Painless dissection presentations

Syncope

Stroke-like symptoms

Ischemic ECG changes can coexist with dissection

Avoid routine thrombolysis without excluding dissection when features present

Vasodilator-first strategy

Reflex tachycardia and increased shear stress risk

PEARLS

High-yield pearls

Pain plus tachycardia equals shear stress

Analgesia plus anti-impulse therapy early

Type A is a surgical emergency

Imaging and transfer decisions measured in minutes

Check bilateral arm BP and pulses when feasible

Abnormal findings increase suspicion but absence does not exclude

Medical Disclaimer

SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.

Last Reviewed: January 15, 2026 by SymptomDX Medical Team

SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.

← Management Protocols

Home Management ProtocolsAortic dissection