Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in Young Patients: A Case Series and Review of Current Management Algorithm

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare but increasingly recognized non-atherosclerotic cause of acute coronary syndrome. Common risk factors for SCAD are coronary atherosclerosis, female gender, peripartum period, systemic inflammatory conditions, and connective tissue disorders. It manifests as myocardial ischemia and infarction, arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. We present a case series of two young men and one young female with SCAD who had chest pain and were diagnosed with SCAD-associated ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Its diagnosis requires a high degree of clinical suspicion and its management is guided by the patient’s clinical condition and the characteristics of the lesions.