Dissecting Aortic Aneurysm

[MM2007]

Hi,

Why is it that in a patient with a suspected dissected aortic aneurysm, blood pressure should be checked in both arms.

Thankyou.

[grantz]

The post is referring to an aortic dissection not an aneurysm, different ball game.

Dissecting Aortic Aneurysm

[highlandlass1592, BSN, RN]

Lost my other link for you. Anyways, here is one link:

http://www.iradonline.org/treatment.html

We are a specialty center for management, treatment & repair of both dissections & aneurysms, see these all the time. You have a difference in blood pressure due to the tear & where circulation is compromised. (Basically a dissection will lead to 2 lumens in the aorta instead of one. The false lumen, where the clot is located can not give adequate perfusion to the affected areas of the body. You also have a catecholamine release with a tear which will affect pressures.)

If you want to research further, do a lit search in AJN, they had an article on dissections from a couple of years ago (has a great cross-section picture of the aorta which will give you a great visual of what's going on). Circulations, journal of AHA, also had an excellent article. My computer is down (where I have the articles saved) otherwise I'd give you the specific citations. (on my iPad now) I use both of those articles when teaching nurses about dissections. Hope it helps

[highlandlass1592, BSN, RN]

Apologies. Top of my screen was cut off so I didn't see title, only one post

[grantz]

Apologies. Top of my screen was cut off so I didn't see title, only one post

No problem highlandlass1592. We are just human. :)