A 62-year-old man is brought to the emergency department via ambulance with a sudden onset of severe, tearing chest pain that radiates to his interscapular region. His medical history is significant for poorly controlled hypertension. On presentation, he is diaphoretic and in severe distress. Blood pressure is 215/115 mm Hg in the right arm and 180/95 mm Hg in the left arm. Heart rate is 112/min. A new early diastolic decrescendo murmur is heard at the right upper sternal border. Electrocardiogram shows sinus tachycardia and left ventricular hypertrophy without acute ischemic changes. Chest x-ray reveals a widened mediastinum. A diagnosis of acute aortic dissection is suspected. Arrange the following steps in the most appropriate sequential order for the management of this patient.
- 1Administer an intravenous beta-blocker
- 2Administer an intravenous vasodilator
- 3Obtain a computed tomography angiography of the chest and abdomen
- 4Perform an emergent open surgical repair