Aim To investigate the distribution of risk factors of atherosclerosis in patients with acute aortic dissection(AD).Methods Consecutive patients with acute AD over 10 years in Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute were retrospectively analysed.Age of initial episode,prevalence of hypertension and diabetes,smoking habits and blood lipids level were investigated.Results There were 200 cases(81 type A and 119 type B) with acute AD were hospitalized during the past 10 years,87.5% of them were male.Their mean age were 55.4±12.2 years.The prevalence of hypertension were 64.2% and 72.3%,the prevalence of diabetes were 2.5% and 5.0%,and incidence of heavy smoking were 46.9% and 54.6% in type A and type B dissection respectively.Conclusions The prevalence of male,hypertension and incidence of heavy smoking were higher in patients with AD both type A and type B dissection.There is no evidence indicating higher prevalence of diabetes and hyperlipidemia in these patients.