Complications

SCAD is a tear inside an artery that carries blood to the heart. When the inner layers of the artery separate from the outer layers, blood can pool in the area between the layers. The pressure of the pooling blood can make a short tear much longer. Blood trapped between the layers can form a blood clot (hematoma).

SCAD may slow blood flow through the artery, which makes the heart muscle weaken. Or blood flow through the artery may be completely stopped, causing heart muscle to die (heart attack). A heart attack that occurs in SCAD is different from a heart attack caused by hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).

SCAD can happen more than once, despite successful treatment. It may recur soon after the initial episode or years later. People who have SCAD may also have a higher risk of other heart problems, such as heart failure due to the damage to the heart muscle from heart attacks.

Doctors are studying why SCAD recurs and who is most likely to experience a recurrence.