Question

A 66-year-old woman presents with a stabbing pain in the middle of her chest that radiates to her back. she tells you that the pain suddenly began about 30 minutes ago and has been severe since the onset. she has a history of hypertension, but admits to being noncompliant with her antihypertensive medications. when you assess her, you find that her blood pressure is significantly higher in her right arm. what do these signs and symptoms Most likely indicate?

A. acute myocardial infarction
B. hypertensive emergency
C. dissecting aortic aneurysm
D. unstable angina

Answer 1

The symptoms most likely indicate a dissecting aortic aneurysm, which is a serious medical condition requiring immediate attention.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms described by a 66-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, including a stabbing pain in the middle of her chest that radiates to her back, sudden onset, and differential blood pressure in arms, most likely indicate a dissecting aortic aneurysm (C). This condition involves a tear in the aorta's inner layer, which leads to a dissection, or bleeding into the wall layers, and is a life-threatening emergency.

While acute myocardial infarction may present with similar severe chest pain, it is often accompanied by other symptoms like difficulty breathing, nausea, and sweating. Hypertensive emergency can relate to high blood pressure but does not typically present with the specific pain pattern described. Unstable angina generally involves chest pain that occurs at rest and is not commonly associated with a difference in blood pressure between arms.