Aortic dissection an emergency condition in which a tear forms in the wall of the aorta, which "dissects" (or tears apart) the layers of the vessel wall. Aortic dissection can rapidly lead to death.
Read here about the symptoms, causes and treatment of aortic dissection.
My husband and my brother both had this happen to them within 10 days of each other. My brother type A and my husband type B. Both in Oct 09. I cannot stress enough how important it is to control your blood pressure and take it seriously. This is very devastating and they have both suffered greatly. Both had surgery and are still recovering and neither are able to work any longer. My husband is only 50 years old. Please keep your blood pressure under control, the prevention is worth it.
It is necessary for everyone to properly understand the disease and take precautions and prevention otherwise it may get too late.