Home / Conditions / Aortic Disease
Aortic Disease & Aneurysm
Reviewed by Dr. Ajay Kaul, M.Ch — Chairman, Cardiac Sciences, Fortis Noida · Updated August 2026
This can be a medical emergency.
Sudden, severe chest or back pain — often described as tearing or ripping — can be a sign of an aortic dissection. This is a medical emergency. Call for emergency help or get to the nearest emergency room immediately; do not wait.
Fortis Noida 24/7 cardiac emergency: +91-120-500-4444Conditions affecting the aorta, the body's main artery. The most common is an aneurysm — an abnormal bulging or widening of the aortic wall — which carries a risk of rupture or dissection if it grows large enough. Most aneurysms cause no symptoms and are found incidentally on a scan done for another reason.
Symptoms
- Often no symptoms at all while the aneurysm is small — this is why routine health checks matter
- Sudden, severe chest or back pain (tearing or ripping in quality) if a dissection occurs — a medical emergency
Causes & risk factors
- High blood pressure, over time
- Connective tissue conditions, such as Marfan syndrome
- Family history of aortic aneurysm or dissection
- Age-related wear on the artery wall
- Smoking
How it’s diagnosed
- Often found incidentally on a CT scan or ultrasound done for another reason
- CT angiography, to confirm and precisely measure the aneurysm once suspected
- Echocardiogram, specifically for aneurysms involving the aortic root near the heart
Treatment options
Most aneurysms are monitored regularly with imaging while small. Surgery — including combined procedures like the Bentall for aortic root disease — is recommended once the aneurysm reaches a size where the risk of rupture outweighs the risk of the operation.
Common questions
Not usually — most aneurysms are monitored with regular scans while small, with surgery recommended once they reach a size where rupture risk outweighs surgical risk.
Not sure what your symptoms mean? Ask directly.
Send your reports, or describe what you’re experiencing — Dr. Kaul’s team will guide you to the right next step.