Catastrophic Type A Aortic Dissection Temporally Associated With Recreational Ketamine Use
Cureus November 20, 2025 C.d. Bissell, Kenneth S. Rankin 1 citation
A 57-year-old woman with no known medical history presented with acute altered mental status after intranasal ketamine use, followed by back pain. She was obtunded and hypertensive, requiring intubation. CT angiography revealed a Type A aortic dissection extending from the aortic root to the left iliac artery, involving the carotid, mesenteric, and renal vessels. Despite initial conservative management and later surgery, she suffered intraoperative cardiac arrest and died. The case highlights that ketamine's sympathomimetic effects can precipitate aortic dissection in susceptible individuals.