Two sisters have spoken out about the need for increased awareness of a rare condition, after both suffered heart attacks within days of each other. Rebecca Lewis was diagnosed with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), in which a tear appears in the wall of a coronary artery, restricting blood flow. While not conclusive, doctors believe it is likely that her sister Angharad experienced the same thing three days later. Most commonly affecting women aged 40-50 or recent mothers, SCAD is currently unpredictable and cannot be prevented.
In November, Rebecca, a teacher from Cardiff, was working in her classroom when she felt a huge pressure on her chest. The school headteacher took her to hospital, where she was diagnosed with a heart attack resulting from SCAD, spotted due to the experience of the consulting doctor who used to work at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester and has worked on research into SCAD. An angiogram later confirmed Rebecca’s diagnosis.
The following morning, Angharad also had a heart attack. Insisting on a check for SCAD due to her sister’s diagnosis, Angharad was diagnosed with the same condition. The experience has “affected the whole family,” said Angharad. The sisters hope increased awareness will help others receive diagnoses.
Research into SCAD is funded by Beat SCAD charity, with a Scottish government pilot project also in progress. Professor David Adlam, who heads research at Glenfield Hospital, encourages healthcare workers to think about the possibility of SCAD when treating those who may have the condition. In contrast to the response to a conventional heart attack, SCAD patients are treated by carefully managing their arteries to allow healing.
The sisters hope the Welsh government will back research into the condition, with Angharad emphasising that while SCAD is considered rare, it may be undiagnosed. “At the moment we are saying it’s very rare, but if we’re looking at my experience, maybe it’s going undiagnosed. Becky came home with a diagnosis, with a label. Fortunately, I’ve ended up with the same, but it could have been very different.” NHS Wales provides care for acute coronary syndrome according to professional guidelines, while research for rare cardiac conditions is often carried out across the UK
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