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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffThe strongest risk factor for aortic dissection is uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension), which is observed in at least two-thirds of all cases. Other cardiovascular risk factors include:
- Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
- Weakened and bulging artery (pre-existing aortic aneurysm)
- An aortic valve defect (bicuspid aortic valve)
- Constriction of the aorta (aortic coarctation)
People with certain genetic diseases are more likely to have an aortic dissection than are people in the general population. These include:
- Turner syndrome. People with this syndrome have 45 chromosomes, including one missing or incomplete X chromosome, instead of 46. High blood pressure, heart problems and a number of other health conditions may result from this disorder.
- Marfan syndrome. This is a condition in which connective tissue, which supports various structures in the body, is weak. People with this disorder often have aneurysms of the aorta and other blood vessels. These weak blood vessels are prone to tears (dissection) and rupture easily.
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. This group of connective tissue disorders is characterized by skin that bruises or tears easily, loose joints and fragile blood vessels.
Cocaine use has also been implicated as a risk factor for aortic dissection, most likely because the drug temporarily raises blood pressure. Infrequently, aortic dissections occur in otherwise healthy women during pregnancy.
