A 75-year-old male smoker tells you that he feels a horrible ripping sensation that runs from his lower back to the left lower quadrant of his abdomen and into his left thigh. His blood pressure is 90 mm Hg systolic, and his left leg looks duskier than the right. He tells you he normally has very high blood pressure. You suspect:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A dissection of the aorta is a medical and often a surgical emergency in which the blood vessel rips, evacuating blood.

A 75-Year-Old Male Smoker Tells You That He Feels a Horrible