A Non-atherosclerotic Heart Tears Apart: A Case of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in a Healthy Postmenopausal Woman

Due to limited understanding and knowledge of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), it is typically believed to affect young peripartum women. We present a case of a post-menopausal older woman who suffered an acute non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), secondary to a SCAD of the right posterior descending artery (PDA), after strenuous exercise. As the patient was hemodynamically stable and without signs of ongoing ischemia, she was managed conservatively. SCAD should be in differentials for patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who have no or few cardiovascular atherosclerotic risk factors. SCAD can be missed due to low suspicion of ACS in young and healthy patients. ACS from SCAD is often misdiagnosed and/or mismanaged as atherosclerotic ACS. Increasing awareness about this condition can lead to earlier diagnosis and prevention of sudden cardiac deaths. As most cases of SCAD can be managed conservatively, differentiating it from atherosclerotic ACS can reduce unnecessary reperfusion procedures and complications thereof.