A case of acute aortic dissection presenting with chest pain relieved by sublingual nitroglycerin

Acute aortic dissection is an uncommon disorder which can have fatal results in the event of treatment delay or misdiagnosis. This case examines a 77-year-old woman presenting with chest pain relieved by nitroglycerin. She was referred to the emergency room with clinical suspicion of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, she was later diagnosed with acute aortic dissection and an emergency operation was performed with successful recovery. Aortic dissection may manifest in various ways depending on the site involved and may mimic other disorders such as ACS or pulmonary embolism. Therefore, clinicians must always be aware of aortic dissection and its different clinical manifestations must be understood.