Aortic Dissections
An aortic dissection is a broad term for what is essentially a tear in the aorta. The aorta is the major vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. As it courses down the body, major side branches are found that then carry blood to important organs. In the figure to the right, you can see that there are three layers to the aorta. A dissection is when there is a tear in one of them, but not all three. A good analogy is a pair of pants with two layers of underpants. A dissection is if one of one of the underpants rips. What happens then is all dependent on how big the hole is and how far up or down the rip continues.
Aortic dissection treatment
Treatment depends on many factors. These include where and how big the tear is, and whether and how much it changes. For those dissections in the middle of the aorta that are not growing or worsening, treatment can be either watchful waiting or placement of a stent. Sometimes the body can heal the tear on its own, and other times a stent is helpful in closing off the tear. A stent placement (often called TEVAR) is seen on the figure to the left.
What is the Sunday Trial?
SUNDAY is an acronym for the group of Scandinavian physicians who put the trial together (Scandinavian trial of UNcomplicated aortic Dissection TherApY) . Using the word “trial” can seem overly scientific or experimental. Neither of the treatments in this study are experimental. Both have been shown to work. We just do not know which is best.
It is important to understand that participating in the trial will in no way impact what you and we feel is best for you. For physicians and researchers, we call it a trial, as it will provide us with a great amount of information on how to improve treatment in the future.
Useful links
Here are some useful links about aortic dissections from different countries and organisations:
Aortadissektionföreningen Skandinavien (Dansk, Norsk, Svenska)
Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland
The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust
Cleveland Clinic-patient friendly information
Society of Vascular Surgery patient friendly information
Dansk Hjerteforeningen (Danmark)
Riksförbundet HjärtLung (Sverige)
Blood Pressure Logbook
During the trial, included patients will be asked to measure their blood pressure at home twice daily (morning and evening) for 7 days. Each time, take two readings with a 2-minute interval. Sit calmly, avoid smoking 30 minutes before, and follow the simple instructions for accurate results.
Download the blood pressure logbook here.
Got any questions?
You’re welcome to take a look at our FAQ or contact our staff