What Is New in Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection?

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a condition that leads to tearing of the coronary vessel wall in the absence of trauma, iatrogenic injury, or atherosclerosis. SCAD is an important cause of myocardial infarction in young women, leading to significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Within cohorts of women aged around 50 years on average, who experience acute coronary syndrome, the prevalence of SCAD is 22.5%- 35%. Over the past decade, SCAD research has expanded rapidly, leading to improved understanding of this condition. In this review, we provide a summary of the current body of knowledge, highlight areas of ongoing research, and identify existing knowledge gaps. Specifically, we provide a focused update on the pathogenesis of SCAD, including genetic and associated conditions, clinical presentation and diagnosis, prognosis, and short-term and long-term management. Highlighted areas include the following: insights from recent genome-wide association studies; intracoronary imaging for the diagnosis of SCAD; the role of cardiac computed tomography angiography to assess for vessel healing; revascularization strategies and challenges; cardiogenic shock in SCAD; and the increasingly recognized burden of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder among SCAD patients.