Spontaneous coronary artery dissection, or “SCAD”, is when a tear suddenly occurs within the layers of one or more of the coronary arteries. This can slow down or block the blood flow to the heart, leading to a heart attack.

The causes of SCAD are unclear. SCAD mainly affects young, healthy people who have few or none of the typical risks for heart disease, such as diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol or obesity.

You can find out more about SCAD here