SCAD with AFIB

Posted by tdow @tdow, Jan 18 10:48am

Last weekend I was airlifted to a cardiac unit /catheter lab where they diagnosed SCAD involving the distal posterior descending artery, with otherwise normal coronary arteries. This started with what I thought was an AFIB episode while walking my dog but as I became dizzy and disoriented, a neighbor took me to the ER. After 2 cardio versions, they could not get me into normal rhythm and my troponin levels were very high so off I went to another hospital with a cath lab. I have had a 2 year history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and had an ablation May 2024 which was successful until I got COVID in July. Since August, I had been managing it with pill in a pocket protocol (Flecainaide) but that ended this week as it is contra indicative with SCAD. I am now taking a beta blocker with aspirin.
I am 67 years old (this happened on my birthday) and ski nearly every day and have a healthy diet. Does anyone know if AFIB has any correlation with SCAD?

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gloaming | @gloaming | Jan 18 11:44am

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10237004/
https://www.ajconline.org/article/S0002-9149(22)01059-1/abstract
There's some good reading here. There is a link between the various forms of disordered and diseased myocardium. The usual co-morbidities crop up as well, such as Type II diabetes, hypertension (vascular and pulmonary), renal disorders and disease, etc.

tdow | @tdow | Jan 18 1:27pm

Thank you. I guess it is a bit of the chicken and the egg but it makes sense to treat both. SCAD seems to present a lot of questions in that the cause is not necessarily from what brings on typical CAD. In the meantime I will follow the cardio rehab PT’s advice, remove sources of inflammation and stress, and hope the tear mends soon.

scad-scared | @scad | Jan 20 7:43am

Hello, I recently had SCAD and I’m healthy with no other issues so I cannot speak on if there is a correlation between the two. However there is a Dr Hayes with the Mayo Clinic and she is the leading research expert on SCAD. I’m sure she would be able to answer that for you. I’m sorry that had to happen to you on top of what you already have going on. There is also SCAD Alliance. They might be able to offer insight as well. I hope that is helpful and I wish you the best moving forward.

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