Spontaneous coronary artery dissection

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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

It's not clear what causes spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection causes a superficial tear inside an artery. 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. And blood trapped between the layers can form a blood clot.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection may slow blood flow through the artery to the heart, which makes the heart work harder. Or blood flow through the artery can be completely stopped, causing heart muscle to die (heart attack).

Risk factors Symptoms
References
  1. Tweet SM, et al. Clinical features, management and prognosis of spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Circulation. 2012;126:579.
  2. Vrints CJM. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Heart. 2010;806:91.
  3. Alfonso F, et al. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection: Long-term follow-up of a large series of patients prospectively managed with a "conservative" therapeutic strategy. JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. 2012;5:1062.
  4. Glamore MJ, et al. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Journal of Cardiac Surgery. 2012;27:56.
  5. Ito H, et al. Presentation and therapy of spontaneous coronary artery dissection and comparisons of postpartum versus nonpostpartum cases. American Journal of Cardiology. 2011;107:1590.
  6. Don't take a chance with a heart attack: Know the facts and act fast. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/mi/heart_attack_fs_en.htm. Accessed Jan. 11, 2013.
  7. NINDS Fibromuscular dysplasia information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/fibromuscular_dysplasia/fibromuscular_dysplasia.htm. Accessed Jan. 10, 2013.
  8. What is coronary angiography? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ca. Accessed Jan. 11, 2013.
  9. What is a stent? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/stents. Accessed Jan. 14, 2013.
  10. What is coronary artery bypass grafting? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cabg. Accessed Jan. 14, 2013.
  11. Coping with feelings. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/CardiacRehab/Coping-with-Feelings_UCM_307092_Article.jsp. Accessed Jan. 14, 2013.
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  13. What is cardiac rehabilitation? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/rehab. Accessed Jan. 21, 2013.
DS01209 Feb. 15, 2013

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