A good example of the Public and the Media understanding (NOT) of Aortic Dissection

Hi all. I subscribe to an auto Google search for 'Aortic Dissection' that throws up any media stories on Aortic Dissection for the UK. This link - about the East Anglian Air Ambulance - to quite an incredible story - about a young mum to be (Nina Whear) who in April 2009 suffered an Aortic Dissection as she was being prepped for the birth of her twins - sadly demonstrates just how little is know about Aortic Dissection in the UK.

I have included a screen grab of the Google search and an example of one of the newspapers who reported it. In the majority of all the stories and the Google search results - NONE of the stories use the term 'Aortic Dissection' and further more - most of the stories refer to the AD as a "massive heart attack" Ignorance is no excuse. If Aortic Dissection was better known in the public domain it will help SAVE a lot more lives as BOTH the public and the medical profession would be more aware of it.

Consider the stats. Aortic Dissection is supposed to occur in one in 100,000 people. With a population of 65 million in the UK alone - thats 650 people a year that are affected by it. Or over 10 years - 6,500 people!

Sure, the numbers are small by heart attack numbers. But an AD is NOT caused by the same conditions as a heart attack. So lets start some feedback. What can we do, collectively, to spread the word on Aortic Dissection - awareness, preventative (?) diagnosis, and treatment. Ideas?

Graeme