Aortic dissection generally causes severe chest pain and ischemic symptoms related to branch vessel occlusion, but patients with this disease might present with unexpected symptoms. We report a case of a man with pain extending from the nuchal region to both shoulders and fever for 3 weeks. Bilateral trapezius ridge pain, which is characteristically associated with pericarditis, and persistent fever were the only diagnostic clues to aortic dissection. This case also emphasizes that aortic dissection should be considered as a cause of unexplained persistent fever.
Copyright © 2015 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.