Aortic dissection epidemiology and demographics

Aortic dissection Microchapters
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Case #1

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Associate Editor-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]

Epidemiology and Demographics

• Approximately 2000 cases in the US per year
• Accounts for 3-4% of sudden deaths
• 2:1 male:female predominance in all types of dissection.
• Peak incidence in the sixth and seventh decades.
  • Patients with type I dissection present approximately 6 years younger than those with type II or type II dissection.
• 67% present with acute symptoms (<2 weeks), and 33% with chronic symptoms (>= 2 weeks).
  • Chronic dissection is almost twice as common in patients with type III (45%) when compared with type I (24%) and type II (27%).

Acknowledgements

The content on this page was first contributed by: David Feller-Kopman, MD and C. Michael Gibson M.S., M.D.