Dissection as a cause of CAHD is rare but is noted with only three patients out of the six hundred CAG studies analysed. Only males were noted and not females as suggested in the literature. A coronary artery dissection (also known as spontaneous coronary artery dissection or SCAD) is a rare, sometimes fatal traumatic condition, with eighty percent of cases affecting women. The coronary artery develops a tear, causing blood to flow between the layers which force them apart.
Early studies of the disease placed mortality rates at around 70% but more recent data indicate this figure may be closer to 18%. The symptoms are often very similar to those of myocardial infarction (heart attack), with the most common being persistent chest pain. There is evidence to suggest that a major cause of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is related to female hormone levels, as most cases appear…
