Aortic Dissection Can Be Prevented — The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health to Host Press Conference Friday, July 17 to Address Aortic Dissection Prevention
Expert physicians state that genetic testing and family screening are key to earlier detection
Following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, aortic dissection has been a topic of conversation. For a significant share of people, the underlying risk is not a mystery. People at risk can be identified, monitored, and managed in advance of an emergency, and family history is one of the clearest warning signs. The John Ritter Foundation will host a press conference with leading aortic experts tomorrow, July 17, at 11:00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT to address misconceptions about aortic dissection (information below).
An aortic dissection is a tear in the wall of the body’s main artery. An estimated 20% of people who suffer an aortic dissection have a first-degree relative who has also experienced an aortic aneurysm or dissection. High blood pressure, atherosclerosis, smoking, and prior cardiac surgery all raise the risk — so do a number of genetic conditions, which is why an understanding of family history is so important.
Aortic dissection itself can strike suddenly, but the risk does not have to be a surprise: family history, genetic testing, and imaging such as echocardiograms, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can flag at-risk relatives long before an emergency, allowing doctors to monitor and treat the aorta preventatively, avoiding dissection completely.
