Vascular Emergencies in the Prehospital Setting - Part 2: Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Acute Dissection of the Aorta

Precise information concerning the current incidence of vascular emergencies within the scope of the emergency medical service (EMS) cannot be found in literature. Regardless of this circumstance vascular emergencies have to be treated as soon as possible in any case. Thereby hemorrhage allows no delay in emergency or surgical therapy. Acute vascular occlusions have to be treated within a narrow time frame to avoid unrecoverable tissue damage. Therefore the EMS-physician plays a crucial role for the outcome of patients suffering from vascular emergencies. The subsequent paper (2nd of 2 parts) pays attention to the disease pattern of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and acute dissection of the aorta and provides information concerning the etiology, incidence and symptoms of those diseases as well as information about the first diagnostic measures and the emergency therapy measures, compliant to the current guidelines. Furthermore additional information concerning the subsequent emergency room treatment and surgical therapy are provided with the objective to enable the EMS-physician to make a timely decision, which capabilities (vascular surgery and/or interventional expertise) the receptive hospital should have in order to provide optimal therapy for the individual patient. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart - New York.