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Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) is a tear in an artery’s inner lining, creating a blockage. SCAD is an under-recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome, heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest.
What Is SCAD?
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection is an under-diagnosed cause of heart attack and
sudden cardiac arrest. What is SCAD?
For Patients
A rare disease does not mean resources are.
Learn more here. For Patients
iSCAD Registry
The iSCAD Registry has enrolled more than 2,000 patients at 29 sites in the U.S. and Australia.
Latest SCAD News
December 6, 2024
2024: A Milestone Year
10th Year Progress Report SCAD Alliance celebrated our 10th anniversary year with several milestones. Click to read our latest eNews, an update on SCAD Alliance … Read More 
April 12, 2024
PTSD and SCAD focus of first publication of the iSCAD Registry
The publications committee of the iSCAD Registry is pleased to announce the first journal article based on the iSCAD data, which explores the link between … Read More 
December 19, 2023
New ways to support SCAD Alliance…
Have you shopped our store? We have the answer to “SCAD? Never heard of it.” Let our products break the ice for you. We offer … Read More More News
SCAD Warrior App
A collection of self-paced modules designed to help you and your loved ones in your recovery from SCAD.
SCADheart Toolkit
Downloadable resources to support you and help organize your unique healthcare needs.
This is what we know.
SCAD affects more women than men, and the average age of survivors is 42. Nearly 80% percent of SCAD patients are women, with 10-20% experiencing their dissection in the peripartum period, either late in pregnancy or in the weeks after having a baby. The remaining women appear to experience SCAD related to extreme exertion, such as fitness boot camps or extreme weights, or associated conditions such as fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) or connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan or Ehlers Danlos syndrome (Type IV). Hormones also may play a role.
SCAD in men appears to be triggered by extreme physical exertion or associated conditions as well. SCAD patients overall have none of the typical risk factors associated with other causes of heart attack, such as high blood pressure or plaque rupture from cholesterol buildup.
Early research has uncovered facts that prove the urgent need for targeted research and educating the medical community to take a closer look at younger patients exhibiting heart attack symptoms. Contrary to popular belief, SCAD survivors can experience additional dissections, ranging from days to a decade after the original event. Most subsequent SCADs occur in a different vessel.
Additional dissections also may occur in arteries other than the coronaries, including the femoral and internal carotid arteries. The recurrence rate of SCAD is estimated to be 10 to 20%.
SCAD may occur when a combination of factors and conditions occur as a “perfect storm.” Associated conditions of SCAD such as vascular irregularity, hormonal influences, collagen/genetic defect (e.g., Marfan, Ehlers Danlos, other connective tissue disorders), and physical exertion may interact or be subsets of each other.
See Naesha’s Story
Testimonials
Naesha Parks, EdD
“SCAD was a life-altering event that changed my life completely. I volunteer to be a part of that change for others. Knowledge is power!”
Tina Pittman Wagers, MSW, PsyD
“I volunteer for SCAD Alliance because it is an organization that seeks to empower survivors with information, resources, and advancements in research by working with multiple institutions and individuals.”
Kim Cowperthwaite
“Connecting with the SCAD Alliance website and Facebook page became my first line of hope. I found links to a wealth of current research. Best of all, I gained a new realization of strength and hope.”
John Novack
“I volunteer to try to help everyone affected by SCAD, and to educate the medical community – particularly those in emergency medicine – to recognize and treat SCAD quickly and appropriately.”