The American journal of emergency medicine
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Dissection of ascending aorta is a medical emergency typically presenting with acute chest or back pain and hemodynamic instability. We are reporting a very unusual case of dissection of a large ascending aortic aneurysm presenting as a new onset heart failure. A 46-year-old man presented with gradually increasing dyspnea and orthopnea. ⋯ Surgical treatment was successful. Type A aortic dissection may rarely present as heart failure. Aortic dissection at young age should prompt screening of first-degree relatives because genetic nature of the disease is very likely.