Managing Acute Aortic Dissection: Targets and Strategies

Core Questions

1. Describe an approach to key history and physical exam for chest pain patients presenting to the ED. (Table 23.2 and 23.3) 
2. List 5 critical diagnoses, 5 emergent, and 5 nonemergent diagnoses to consider in the patient presenting with chest pain. (Table 23.1)
3. Describe an approach to the critically ill patient with undifferentiated chest pain. (Figure 23.1)
4. Describe an approach to ancillary testing in chest pain. (Table 23.4 and 23.5)
5. List the risk factors associated with each critical chest pain diagnosis (Box 23.1) 
6. Explain the approach to risk stratification of ED chest pain patients. 

Wisecracks

1. What are the X-ray findings of aortic dissection? 
2. What are your HR and BP targets in Aortic dissection? 
3. List the components of the HEART score.