coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of myocardial infarction
is not due to atherosclerosis and occurs more commonly in women than men, characteristically during or soon after pregnancy. It presents as a classical myocardial infarction, but is often misdiagnosed because inexperienced doctors fail to consider a heart attack in a young woman with no risk factors for atherosclerosis
treatment is by angioplasty and stenting, or occasionally, bypass surgery. Because diagnosis is frequently delayed, women with coronary artery dissection are often left with substantial, permanent myocardial damage
Reference:
1) BHF Factfile (November 2010). Women and coronary heart disease
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