Snapshot A 32-year-old man with eunuchoid proportions and arachnodactyly presents to the emergency department with severe substernal chest pain that radiates to the back. He says that the pain occurred acutely and denies any recent trauma. Medical history is significant for Marfan syndrome. On physical exam, there are unequal blood pressures in the upper extremity. A chest radiograph demonstrates a widened mediastinum. A CT angiography demonstrates a Stanford A type aortic dissection. Introduction Clinical definition a separation of the media laminal planes, resulting in a blood-filled space in the aortic wall there are two types of aortic dissection Stanford A type a dissection involving the ascending aorta Stanford B type a dissection involving only the descending aorta Etiology hypertension (most common) connective tissue disease iatrogenic (e.g., coronary catheterization) trauma Pathogenesis an intimal tear of the aorta causes an intramural aortic hemorrhage that separates the intima from the media the resulting hematoma may rupture through the adventitia, leading to a thoracic or abdominal cavity hemorrhage or cardiac tamponade Associated conditions Marfan syndrome bicuspid aortic valve e.g., Turner syndrome Prognosis Stanford type A effective blood pressure control and surgical treatment improves mortality Stanford type B effective conservative or surgical treatment improves mortality Presentation Symptoms acute chest or back pain (most common) classically anterior chest pain that radiates to the back between the scapulae Physical exam unequal blood pressures in the arms weak or absent pulses diastolic decrescendo murmur when the aortic valve is involved resulting in aortic regurgitation Imaging Radiography of the chest indication to rule out other causes of chest pain (e.g., pneumothorax) finding widened mediastinum CT angiography of the chest indication most accurate imaging test for aortic dissection Transesophageal echocardiography can be used if kidney injury is present or patient is allergic to contrast Differential Myocardial infarction differentiating factors an electrocardiogram may be present (e.g., ST-segment elevation) increased cardiac biomarkers Treatment Medical β-blockers indication Stanford type B aortic dissection Surgical vascular surgery indication Stanford type A aortic dissection Complications End-organ damage secondary to poor perfusion acute renal failure acute abdomen ischemic colitis paraplegia or weakness of lower extremities aortoiliac occlusive disease Aneurysm rupture Myocardial infarction from coronary artery occlusion Stroke from dissection extending into carotids Aortic regurgitation Cardiac tamponade
QUESTIONS 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 Previous Next Lab Values Blood Hematologic Cerebrospinal Sweat, Urine, and BMI Blood, Plasma, Serum Reference Range ALT 8-20 U/L Amylase, serum 25-125 U/L AST 8-20 U/L Bilirubin, serum (adult) Total // Direct 0.1-1.0 mg/dL // 0.0-0.3 mg/dL Calcium, serum (Ca2+) 8.4-10.2 mg/dL Cholesterol, serum Rec: < 200 mg/dL Cortisol, serum 0800 h: 5-23 μg/dL //1600 h: 3-15 μg/dL 2000 h: ≤ 50% of 0800 h Creatine kinase, serum Male: 25-90 U/LFemale: 10-70 U/L Creatinine, serum 0.6-1.2 mg/dL Electrolytes, serum Sodium (Na+) 136-145 mEq/L Chloride (Cl-) 95-105 mEq/L Potassium (K+) 3.5-5.0 mEq/L Bicarbonate (HCO3-) 22-28 mEq/L Magnesium (Mg2+) 1.5-2.0 mEq/L Estriol, total, serum (in pregnancy) 24-28 wks // 32-36 wks 30-170 ng/mL // 60-280 ng/mL 28-32 wk // 36-40 wks 40-220 ng/mL // 80-350 ng/mL Ferritin, serum Male: 15-200 ng/mLFemale: 12-150 ng/mL Follicle-stimulating hormone, serum/plasma Male: 4-25 mIU/mL Female: premenopause: 4-30 mIU/mL midcycle peak: 10-90 mIU/mL postmenopause: 40-250 pH 7.35-7.45 PCO2 33-45 mmHg PO2 75-105 mmHg Glucose, serum Fasting: 70-110 mg/dL2-h postprandial:<120 mg/dL Growth hormone - arginine stimulation Fasting: <5 ng/mLProvocative stimuli: > 7ng/mL Immunoglobulins, serum IgA 76-390 mg/dL IgE 0-380 IU/mL IgG 650-1500 mg/dL IgM 40-345 mg/dL Iron 50-170 μg/dL Lactate dehydrogenase, serum 45-90 U/L Luteinizing hormone, serum/plasma Male: 6-23 mIU/mL Female: follicular phase: 5-30 mIU/mL midcycle: 75-150 mIU/mL postmenopause 30-200 mIU/mL Osmolality, serum 275-295 mOsmol/kd H2O Parathyroid hormone, serume, N-terminal 230-630 pg/mL Phosphatase (alkaline), serum (p-NPP at 30° C) 20-70 U/L Phosphorus (inorganic), serum 3.0-4.5 mg/dL Prolactin, serum (hPRL) < 20 ng/mL Proteins, serum Total (recumbent) 6.0-7.8 g/dL Albumin 3.5-5.5 g/dL Globulin 2.3-3.5 g/dL Thyroid-stimulating hormone, serum or plasma .5-5.0 μU/mL Thyroidal iodine (123I) uptake 8%-30% of administered dose/24h Thyroxine (T4), serum 5-12 μg/dL Triglycerides, serum 35-160 mg/dL Triiodothyronine (T3), serum (RIA) 115-190 ng/dL Triiodothyronine (T3) resin uptake 25%-35% Urea nitrogen, serum 7-18 mg/dL Uric acid, serum 3.0-8.2 mg/dL Hematologic Reference Range Bleeding time 2-7 minutes Erythrocyte count Male: 4.3-5.9 million/mm3Female: 3.5-5.5 million mm3 Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Westergren) Male: 0-15 mm/hFemale: 0-20 mm/h Hematocrit Male: 41%-53%Female: 36%-46% Hemoglobin A1c ≤ 6 % Hemoglobin, blood Male: 13.5-17.5 g/dLFemale: 12.0-16.0 g/dL Hemoglobin, plasma 1-4 mg/dL Leukocyte count and differential Leukocyte count 4,500-11,000/mm3 Segmented neutrophils 54%-62% Bands 3%-5% Eosinophils 1%-3% Basophils 0%-0.75% Lymphocytes 25%-33% Monocytes 3%-7% Mean corpuscular hemoglobin 25.4-34.6 pg/cell Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 31%-36% Hb/cell Mean corpuscular volume 80-100 μm3 Partial thromboplastin time (activated) 25-40 seconds Platelet count 150,000-400,000/mm3 Prothrombin time 11-15 seconds Reticulocyte count 0.5%-1.5% of red cells Thrombin time < 2 seconds deviation from control Volume Plasma Male: 25-43 mL/kgFemale: 28-45 mL/kg Red cell Male: 20-36 mL/kgFemale: 19-31 mL/kg Cerebrospinal Fluid Reference Range Cell count 0-5/mm3 Chloride 118-132 mEq/L Gamma globulin 3%-12% total proteins Glucose 40-70 mg/dL Pressure 70-180 mm H2O Proteins, total < 40 mg/dL Sweat Reference Range Chloride 0-35 mmol/L Urine Calcium 100-300 mg/24 h Chloride Varies with intake Creatinine clearance Male: 97-137 mL/minFemale: 88-128 mL/min Estriol, total (in pregnancy) 30 wks 6-18 mg/24 h 35 wks 9-28 mg/24 h 40 wks 13-42 mg/24 h 17-Hydroxycorticosteroids Male: 3.0-10.0 mg/24 hFemale: 2.0-8.0 mg/24 h 17-Ketosteroids, total Male: 8-20 mg/24 hFemale: 6-15 mg/24 h Osmolality 50-1400 mOsmol/kg H2O Oxalate 8-40 μg/mL Potassium Varies with diet Proteins, total < 150 mg/24 h Sodium Varies with diet Uric acid Varies with diet Body Mass Index (BMI) Adult: 19-25 kg/m2 Calculator ( ) xy AC 7 8 9 ÷ 4 5 6 × 1 2 3 - 0 . = + Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK You have 100% on this question. Just skip this one for now. Take This Question Anyway (M2.CV.4692) A 62-year-old male with hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease presents with sudden onset chest pain for the past two hours. The patient describes the pain as a tearing sensation in the center of his chest without any radiation. The patient endorses feeling nauseous and sweaty. The patient’s vitals signs are as follows: temperature is 98.7 deg F (37.1 deg C), blood pressure is 173/68 mmHg, pulse is 92/min, respirations are 14/min. An electrocardiogram demonstrates left axis deviation but no ST segment changes, Q waves, left bundle branch morphology, or T wave inversions are seen. The patient’s troponin level is 0.05 ng/mL. A chest radiograph demonstrates the following findings (Figure A). Which of the following is the most appropriate next diagnostic step? Review Topic QID: 107672 FIGURES: A Type & Select Correct Answer 1 Esophagogastroduodenscopy 50% (1/2) 2 Transthoracic echocardiogram 0% (0/2) 3 Left heart catheterization and angiogram 0% (0/2) 4 Thoracic and abdomen CT angiogram 50% (1/2) 5 Thoracic and lumbar spine radiograph 0% (0/2) M2 Select Answer to see Preferred Response SUBMIT RESPONSE 4