A case of aortic dissection with highly suggestive features of COVID-19

摘要

Introduction: Aortic dissection is a cardiovascular emergency with an overall in-hospital mortality rate of 27.4%, and with every hour without intervention, the mortality rate increases by 1%–2% in the first 48 hours. Thoracic aortic dissection typically presents with tearing chest, back, or abdominal pain. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS–Cov2), which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and usually manifests with respiratory symptoms, including cough, shortness of breath, flu-like symptoms, and fever. This case report highlights an important impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the identification and management of aortic dissection in the emergency department.