Research on spontaneous coronary artery dissection, or SCAD, has exploded in the last decade, says Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist and a leading expert on this rare heart condition.
Though there have been many advancements in understanding SCAD, Dr. Hayes says there is still much to learn, including why 90% of these types of heart attacks happen to nonstereotypical heart attack patients — young women.
SCAD, or spontaneous coronary artery dissection, is a type of heart attack. It happens when a tear forms in a blood vessel in the heart. It can slow or block blood flow, causing a heart attack.
