What are the clinical signs that may indicate an aortic dissection?

The clinical signs indicating an aortic dissection include unequal brachial or radial pulses and hypotension. This is due to the nature of an aortic dissection, where a tear in the aorta's inner layer causes blood to flow between the layers of the blood vessel wall, potentially leading to compromised blood flow to various regions of the body. This can result in unequal pulses if one side of the body is affected more than the other, reflecting diminished blood flow. Hypotension may occur as the dissection can lead to significant blood loss or compromised cardiac output, thus reducing the overall blood pressure. These specific signs are critical for clinicians to recognize as they may indicate the severity and complications associated with aortic dissection, which requires immediate medical intervention.