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 – on the other hand, cholesterol, overweight and type 2 diabetes have no a priori impact on the risk of developing this pathology.
Source :Inserm