(Press-News.org) Munich, Germany – 20 February 2026: New insights into spontaneous coronary artery dissection – a devastating cause of heart attacks in young, healthy patients – were presented today at the EAPCI Summit 2026.1 The summit is a new event organised by the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), an association of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an emergency condition in which an inner layer of a coronary artery tears away from the outer layer. Blood collects in the space between the layers, causing a haematoma that reduces blood flow and can lead to a heart attack (myocardial infarction [MI]).2 Most patients affected by SCAD are healthy women with few traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors.
“SCAD was considered rare but awareness of the condition is growing. SCAD still remains under-diagnosed and under-studied with few, if any, randomised trials conducted to define the most appropriate treatment approach,” explained study presenter, Professor Svetlana Apostolović from University Clinical Center Nis, Serbia. “The mechanisms responsible for MIs after SCAD are very different from MIs caused by atherosclerosis and yet they are often treated in the same way. We created a national prospective registry to understand more about SCAD, treatment practices and outcomes, and to fill a gap in knowledge about patients from Eastern European countries.”
This analysis of the Serbian SCAD Registry included 123 patients who attended 14 centres specialising in interventional cardiology from November 2021 to November 2024. In total, 27 patients were retrospectively studied and 96 were prospectively studied. Intracoronary imaging techniques were used to establish the SCAD diagnosis in 26.0% of patients.
The majority were female (85.4%) and the mean age was 47.5 years. In total, 6.7% of patients were pregnant or in the postpartum period, while 36.2% were menopausal. The most frequent risk factors were hypertension (49.6%) and dyslipidaemia (46.3%). Where known, the most common precipitating factors were mental stress (38.5%) and physical stress (10.7%).
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed in 41.5% of patients, which involved stent implantation in 28.5% of all patients. Medical therapy alone was received by 58.5%. Overall, more than half of patients received dual antiplatelet therapy (58.5%) and low-molecular weight heparin (56.9%).
During hospitalisation, 23.6% of patients experienced a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE: recurrent MI, haemodynamic instability, malignant arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, unplanned revascularisation or a cerebrovascular event) and 8.1% of all patients died.
In the 30 days after hospitalisation, 18.1% of patients experienced MACE and 0.8% died. Independent predictors for MACE included stent implantation (p=0.010) and depression (p=0.008).
Full resolution of SCAD was observed in 62.2% of patients after 30 days.
Professor Apostolović summed up the findings: “SCAD was most common in non-pregnant young women and menopausal women, with intracoronary imaging found to be particularly useful in enabling accurate diagnosis. SCAD often resolved fully and stent implantation was not beneficial in the majority of patients. Careful observation alongside beta-blockers, blood-pressure lowering medication, cardiac rehabilitation and psychological support may improve outcomes and reduce the impact on patients’ daily lives, but more studies and trials are needed.”
Further insights regarding epidemiology, presentation, management and outcomes will be provided by the ESC’s ongoing large, multinational SCAD registry.
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Funding: None.
Disclosures: Professor Apostolović reports no conflicts of interest related to this study.
References:
1‘Breaking stereotypes: baseline features, treatment strategies, and 12-month outcomes in SCAD AMI patients: findings from the Serbian SCAD registry (SR SCAD)’ presented during the Contemporary PCI strategies in acute coronary syndromes: from diagnosis to optimisation session on 20 February at 08:30 to 09:30 CET in Moderated ePoster Station 1.
2Adlam D, Alfonso F, Maas A, et al. European Society of Cardiology, Acute Cardiovascular Care Association, SCAD study group: a position paper on spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Eur Heart J. 2018;39:3353–3368.
ESC Press Office
Tel: +33 6 61 40 18 84
Email: press@escardio.org
Follow European Society of Cardiology News on LinkedIn
About the European Society of Cardiology
The ESC brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people to live longer, healthier lives.
About the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI)
The ESC’s European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) is a community of almost 2,000 members and 8,450 associates who focus on reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease through the use of percutaneous cardiovascular interventions. The association is involved in a range of activities including education, research and advocacy.
About the EAPCI Summit
The EAPCI Summit 2026 takes place from 19–20 February at MOC – Event Center Messe Munich, Munich, Germany. Explore the scientific programme.
Free registration applies to accredited press.
Credentials: A valid press card or appropriate letter of assignment with proof of three recent published articles. Read the ESC media and embargo policy.
The ESC Press Office will verify the documents and confirm by email that your press accreditation is valid.
The ESC Press Office decision is final regarding all press registration requests.
END
New data on spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) – a common cause of heart attacks in younger women
2026-02-20
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
How root growth is stimulated by nitrate: Researchers decipher signalling chain
2026-02-20
When 200 natural accessions of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana grown in a nitrate-enriched medium were compared, one observation stood out: some accessions formed significantly longer lateral roots than others. Genetic analysis revealed a difference in a gene called MEKK14. “A single amino acid in the MEKK14 protein determines how strongly a plant develops its lateral roots in the presence of nitrate,” explains Xiaofei Zhang, the study’s first author. Plants expressing the more active protein variant grow better in nitrate-rich environments.
The gene encodes ...
Scientists reveal our best- and worst-case scenarios for a warming Antarctica
2026-02-20
The climate crisis is warming Antarctica fast, with potentially disastrous consequences. Now scientists have modelled the best- and worst-case scenarios for climate change in Antarctica, demonstrating just how high the stakes are — but also how much harm can still be prevented.
“The Antarctic Peninsula is a special place,” said Prof Bethan Davies of Newcastle University, lead author of the article in Frontiers in Environmental Science and UK national nominee for the 2026 Frontiers Planet Prize. “Its future depends on the choices that we make today. Under a low emissions future, we can avoid the most important and detrimental impacts. ...
Cleaner fish show intelligence typical of mammals
2026-02-20
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan have discovered a previously undiscovered behavior in cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). When presented with a mirror, the tiny fish not only recognized themselves, but experimented with the mirror themselves, interacting with it using a scrap of food. The results suggest that these social fish can perform a higher level of intelligence known as ‘contingency testing,’ typically seen in intelligent marine mammals like dolphins.
The group led by Specially Appointed Researcher Shumpei Sogawa and Specially Appointed Professor Masanori Kohda at the Graduate School ...
AABNet and partners launch landmark guide on the conservation of African livestock genetic resources and sustainable breeding strategies
2026-02-20
Nairobi, Kenya, 20 February 2026: Africa’s rich livestock genetic resources hold untapped potential to drive productivity, climate resilience, and sustainable development, according to a new open-access reference, African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies: Unlocking a Treasure Trove and Guide for Improved Productivity. The book, officially launched today by the African Animal Breeding Network (AABNet) in partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), and the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), ...
Produce hydrogen and oxygen simultaneously from a single atom! Achieve carbon neutrality with an 'All-in-one' single-atom water electrolysis catalyst
2026-02-20
Green hydrogen production technology, which utilizes renewable energy to produce eco-friendly hydrogen without carbon emissions, is gaining attention as a core technology for addressing global warming. Green hydrogen is produced through electrolysis, a process that separates hydrogen and oxygen by applying electrical energy to water, requiring low-cost, high-efficiency, high-performance catalysts.
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Oh Sang-rok) announced that a research team led by Dr. Na Jongbeom and Dr. Kim Jong Min from the Center for Extreme Materials Research has developed next-generation water electrolysis catalyst ...
Sleep loss linked to higher atrial fibrillation risk in working-age adults
2026-02-20
Getting enough sleep may be more important for heart health than many busy professionals realize. A new multicenter study conducted by researchers from Kumamoto University and the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, has found that insufficient sleep is linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) among working-age adults.
AF is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder and is associated with serious complications such as stroke and heart failure. Although previous studies suggested a connection between sleep and AF, most relied on self-reported sleep data. ...
Visible light-driven deracemization of α-aryl ketones synergistically catalyzed by thiophenols and chiral phosphoric acid
2026-02-20
A collaborative research team comprised of Xin Li from Nankai University, Wei Zhang from Sichuan University, and Hanliang Zheng from Zhejiang Normal University developed a green and efficient photo-redox/hydrogen atom transfer (HAT)/chiral phosphoric acid (CPA) synergistic catalytic strategy to achieve the deracemization of α-aryl cyclic ketones, successfully synthesizing a series of chiral α-aryl cyclic ketones (Figure 1). The reaction generates a sulfur radical via a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process between an excited-state photosensitizer and a thiophenol, followed by hydrogen atom transfer and single-electron ...
Most AI bots lack basic safety disclosures, study finds
2026-02-20
Investigation of 30 top AI agents finds just four have published formal safety and evaluation documents relating to the actual bots.
The new wave of AI web browser agents, many designed to mimic human browsing, have the highest rates of missing safety information.
Many of us now use AI chatbots to plan meals and write emails, AI-enhanced web browsers to book travel and buy tickets, and workplace AI to generate invoices and performance reports.
However, a new study of the “AI agent ecosystem” suggests that as these ...
How competitive gaming on discord fosters social connections
2026-02-20
Human beings are social animals; they need places to relax, connect with others, and feel a sense of belonging beyond the demands of home and work. Traditionally, these ‘third places’ are thought to be limited to cafes, clubs, gardens, and other neighborhood community spots. However, with an increase in digitally shaped life schedules, a new question arises: Do online spaces offer the same social values as offline ones?
“Video games and social media are often considered to be isolating or overly ...
CU Anschutz School of Medicine receives best ranking in NIH funding in 20 years
2026-02-20
The University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine continues to boost its standing in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR) rankings, moving to No. 8 among public medical schools in the nation and to No. 21 among all medical schools, with half of its 18 clinical Departments landing in the top 15.
Annual Blue Ridge rankings are determined by total funding granted from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to researchers at U.S. medical schools and their departments.
This year, BRIMR ranked the Department of Pediatrics No. 1 with more than $63 million in funding from the NIH, the Department ...