Vertebral artery dissection from etiopathogenesis to management therapy: a narrative review with neuroimaging’s case illustration

Vertebral artery dissection is one of the causes of stroke and transient ischemic attack in young adults, with an inci- dence rate of 1.0–1.1 per 100,000 people. Vertebral artery dissection occurs due to a tear in the vertebral artery wall, which results in blood fow entering the blood vessel wall. The etiology of vertebral artery dissection is very diverse, which can be classifed as intrinsic (such as anatomical abnormalities of the blood vessels) or extrinsic (such as trauma), and there are several rarer causes. The most frequent clinical manifestations include stroke, tran- sient ischemic attack, neck pain, headaches, and vertigo. Management in this case comprises treatment according to symptoms in the form of intravenous thrombolysis, administering antithrombotic drugs, and endovascular therapy.