Now We May Know Why Young and Healthy Women Face a Higher Risk of Repeated Heart Attacks
A recent study conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Universite Paris Cite, in collaboration with international partners from Canada, the USA, and Australia, has made significant discoveries regarding a specific type of heart attack that predominantly affects young to middle-aged women.
The findings of this research were published today in Nature Genetics.
The study focuses on Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), a condition characterized by the occurrence of a bruise or bleed in the wall of a coronary artery, leading to the obstruction of blood flow to a portion of the heart and subsequently resulting in a heart attack. SCAD primarily affects women under the age of 60 and is a leading cause of heart attacks occurring during pregnancy. Interestingly, individuals who have experienced SCAD tend to be generally healthy, and in some cases, SCAD may recur.
Up until now, the underlying causes of SCAD have remained largely unknown, making it challenging to develop preventive measures. However, the recent research has identified new genes associated with an elevated risk of SCAD.
New Genes Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Attack in Young to Middle-Aged Women
The team conducted a comprehensive study using a technique called genome-wide association meta-analysis to investigate the genetic factors associated with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). This study involved a large sample size, including 1,917 SCAD cases and 9,292 controls of European ancestry. The results revealed 16 specific genes that are linked to an increased risk of SCAD.
These identified genes play crucial roles in various biological processes that contribute to the integrity of cells and connective tissues, as well as the formation of blood clots when there is tissue bleeding. This suggests that disruptions in these processes may contribute to the development of SCAD.
An intriguing finding from this research is that although several of the genes associated with a higher risk of SCAD are also known to be associated with conventional coronary artery disease (CAD), they exert an opposite effect. This means that individuals with SCAD possess genetic factors that offer some protection against the development of CAD. This discovery further supports the notion that SCAD and CAD are distinct conditions with differing underlying mechanisms. The only shared risk factor observed in this study was genetically elevated blood pressure.
“This research confirms that there are multiple genes involved in determining the risk of a person having a SCAD,” explains lead author Dr. David Adlam.
“These genes give us the first key insight into the underlying causes of this disease and provide new lines of enquiry, which we hope will guide future new treatment approaches.
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