Table 1.

Summary of the major risk factors contributing to prediction of type A aortic dissection

Aortic tissue related	Patient related
Bicuspid aortic valve	Connective tissue disorder
Inflammatory conditions of aorta	Male sex
Familiar thoracic aortic aneurysm	Smoking
Aortic trauma either blunt or iatrogenic	Age > 65 years
	Previous cardiac surgery
	Acute hemodynamic stress (heavy weight lifting, cocaine use, pheochromocytoma)
	Pregnancy
	Hypertension