Expert physicians state that genetic testing and family screening are key to earlier detection

Following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, aortic dissection has been a topic of conversation. For a significant share of people, the underlying risk is not a mystery. People at risk can be identified, monitored, and managed in advance of an emergency, and family history is one of the clearest warning signs. The John Ritter Foundation will host a press conference with leading aortic experts tomorrow, July 17, at 11:00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT to address misconceptions about aortic dissection (information below).

An aortic dissection is a tear in the wall of the body’s main artery. An estimated 20% of people who suffer an aortic dissection have a first-degree relative who has also experienced an aortic aneurysm or dissection. High blood pressure, atherosclerosis, smoking, and prior cardiac surgery all raise the risk — so do a number of genetic conditions, which is why an understanding of family history is so important.

Aortic dissection itself can strike suddenly, but the risk does not have to be a surprise: family history, genetic testing, and imaging such as echocardiograms, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can flag at-risk relatives long before an emergency, allowing doctors to monitor and treat the aorta preventatively, avoiding dissection completely.

“The goal of my research is to identify the genetic risks so we can find at-risk family members before they ever have an emergency, not after,” said Dr. Dianna Milewicz, a leading aortic disease geneticist at UTHealth Houston who directs the John Ritter Research Program in Aortic and Vascular Diseases. “A parent, sibling, or child with a diagnosed aortic dissection or an unexplained sudden death or early heart problem is a signal for the whole family to be screened.”

“When a dissection happens, it’s an emergency,” said Dr. Eric Roselli, Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery at Cleveland Clinic. “As physicians we have a responsibility to trace it through the whole family. The next dissection is caught during screening, not in an emergency room.”

The urgency is real: an estimated 40% of people who experience an aortic dissection do not survive to reach the hospital. Of those who do, up to 80% can be saved with timely surgery, a gap that early detection and awareness can close.

The Foundation urges anyone with a family history of aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, or unexplained sudden cardiac death to talk to their doctor about screening and genetic testing, and to share that history with first-degree relatives. Resources: johnritterfoundation.org.

John Ritter Foundation Press Conference

The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health will host a press conference featuring Dr. Dianna Milewicz, Dr. Eric Roselli, and aortic dissection survivor and CEO of the John Ritter Foundation, Meredith Ford O’Neal, on Friday, July 17 at 11:00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT. Please register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zOfm5rnfSYCU0qHRb6wZkQ

A recording will be made available.

About the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health

The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to lowering the incidence of acute aortic dissection through education, family screening, awareness, and research funding. Learn more at johnritterfoundation.org.

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