Huynh N, et al. - Researchers used the Jesse E. Edwards Registry of Cardiovascular Disease database and studied the clinical and pathologic findings of aortic dissection (AD) over a nearly 60-year period by analyzing cardiac specimens from autopsies with AD as a diagnosis and by comparing two cohorts; early (1956–1992) and current (1993–2015). A total of 338 cases AD (166 early, 170 current), with mean age 60 and 62% male, were included from 1956 to 2015. Type A AD and type B was present in 86% and 14%, respectively. At time of death, medical care was availed by 62% of cases (61% early, 62% current). Of these, 63% were not diagnosed prior to death (64% early, 62% current). According to findings, clinical diagnosis was not made in >60% of cases of AD, these cases were first identified at autopsy. Despite improved diagnostics, no difference was seen in the percentage of AD discovered at autopsy between early vs current era. In both eras, similar prevalence of hypertension and prior cardiovascular surgery as risk factors was reported. AD death was associated with rupture of the aorta in the majority of cases.