The wolf in sheep's clothing: vasovagal syncope in acute aortic dissection

The presentation of acute aortic dissection can pose a challenge for emergency physicians, as it may occur without pain. Atypical presentations can lead to significant delays in diagnosis and increased mortality rates.

Our case illustrates that isolated painless syncope can be a rare presenting symptom of acute aortic dissection type A. What is unique about our case is the limited extension of the dissection tear and the availability of Holter monitoring during the syncopal episode.

This constellation provides insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of the syncope in this patient. Mechanisms of syncope related to acute aortic dissection are diverse. We show that vasovagal activation not related to pain can be the underlying mechanism of syncope in acute aortic dissection type A. Although excessive vasovagal tone in the setting of aortic dissection has been hypothesized in the past, it has never been as clearly illustrated as in the present case. This also highlights the challenge in risk stratification of syncope in the emergency department.