This typically female infarction remains poorly understood to this day. Inserm researchers have nevertheless managed to identify risk factors.
Have you ever heard of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)? Less known than myocardial infarction, this cardiovascular pathology mainly concerns women who represent 90% of cases.
Concretely, the SCAD corresponds to a tear in the wall of the arteries of the heart: this causes an accumulation of blood in the space which is between the layers of the arterial wall, therefore an obstruction of the blood flow which can be at l cause of cardiac arrest.
According to experts, SCAD could account for up to a third of heart attacks in women under 60. This disease generally occurs around the age of 40; it can also happen after childbirth or around menopause.
A genetic risk factor, but also a greater risk in the event of hypertension
Problem: At present, spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) remains poorly understood, leading to underdiagnosis and loss of opportunity for patients.
Exactly: Inserm researchers (under the direction of geneticist Nabila Bouatia-Naji) have taken a close interest in the causes of SCAD. For this, the researchers compared genetic data from more than 1,900 patients and about 9,300 non-sick people.
Through this work, scientists have identified 16 genomic regions (or loci) of genetic predisposition to SCAD. “Genetic Variations Most Commonly Found in SCAD Survivors Play a Role in the Composition of the “Glue” That Surrounds Coronary Artery Cells“say the researchers.
In addition, experts have also found that high blood pressure is also a risk factor for SCAD – in contrast, cholesterol, overweight and type 2 diabetes have no a priori impact on the risk of developing this pathology.
Source :Inserm