Cardionerds: A Cardiology Podcast

Atrial fibrillation may reach pandemic proportions in the next 2-3 decades. Factors that drive this phenomenon have been studied in predominantly White populations, leading to a significant underrepresentation of certain racial/ethnic groups in atrial fibrillation epidemiological studies. Most atrial fibrillation epidemiology studies suggest that the non-Hispanic Black population has a lower incidence/prevalence of atrial fibrillation, despite a higher risk factor burden (“Afib paradox”). At the same time, non-Hispanic Blacks have worse outcomes compared to the White population and underrepresented populations and women are less likely than White men to receive optimal guideline-based therapies for atrial fibrillation. In this episode, CardioNerds Dr. Kelly Arps (Co-Chair Atrial Fibrillation series, Cardiology fellow at Duke University), Dr. Colin Blumenthal (Co-Chair Atrial Fibrillation series, CardioNerds Academy House Faculty Leader for House Jones, Cardiology fellow at the University of Pennsylvania), and Dr. Dinu-Valentin Balanescu (CardioNerds Academy Faculty for House Jones, rising internal medicine chief resident at Beaumont Hospital), discuss with Dr. Larry Jackson (cardiac electrophysiologist and Vice Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Division of Cardiology at Duke University) about atrial fibrillation epidemiology and health equity, challenges and possible solutions to improving diversity in clinical trials, and race/ethnicity/sex/gender differences in the detection, management, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Akiva Rosenzveig. This CardioNerds Atrial Fibrillation series is a multi-institutional collaboration made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs, led by series co-chairs, Dr. Kelly Arps and Dr. Colin Blumenthal. This series is supported by an educational grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer Alliance. All CardioNerds content is planned, produced, and reviewed solely by CardioNerds. We have collaborated with VCU Health to provide CME. Claim free CME here! Disclosure: Larry R. Jackson II, MD, MHs, has the following relevant financial relationships:Advisor or consultant for: Biosense Webster Inc.Speaker or a member of a speakers bureau for: Biotronik Inc.; Medtronic Inc. Pearls • Notes • References • Guest Profiles • Production Team CardioNerds Atrial Fibrillation PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - Atrial Fibrillation: Epidemiology, Health Equity, & The Double Paradox Atrial fibrillation confers an enormous public health burden. It is estimated that it will reach pandemic proportions over the next 30 years, with potentially 100-180 million people worldwide suffering from this condition.Large epidemiological atrial fibrillation registries have very small populations of underrepresented groups. More diverse enrollment in clinical trials is essential and may be obtained by increasing diversity among research staff, principal investigators, and steering committees, and use of mobile/telehealth technologies to remove bias related to differences in presentation. The CardioNerds Clinical Trials Network specifically aims pair equitable trial enrollment with trainee personal and professional development.Most atrial fibrillation epidemiology studies suggest that the non-Hispanic Black population has lower incidence/prevalence of atrial fibrillation, despite higher risk factor burden. This “paradox” is likely due to a multifactorial process, with clinical differences, socioeconomic factors, and genetic factors contributing.Underrepresented populations are less likely than White patients to receive optimal guideline-based management of atrial fibrillation.

CardioNerds Tommy Das (Program Director of the CardioNerds Academy and cardiology fellow at Cleveland Clinic), Rick Ferraro (cardiology fellow at the Johns Hopkins Hospital), and Dr. Aliza Hussain (cardiology fellow at Baylor College Medicine) take a deep dive on the REDUCE-IT trial with Dr. Peter Toth, director of preventive cardiology at the CGH medical center in Sterling, Illinois, clinical professor in family and community medicine at the University of Illinois School of Medicine, and past president of the National Lipid Association and the American Board of Clinical Lipidology.  Special introduction to CardioNerds Clinical Trialist Dr. Jeff Wang (Emory University). Audio editing by CardioNerds academy intern, Shivani Reddy. This episode is part of the CardioNerds Lipids Series which is a comprehensive series lead by co-chairs Dr. Rick Ferraro and Dr. Tommy Das and is developed in collaboration with the American Society For Preventive Cardiology (ASPC). Relevant disclosures: None Pearls • Notes • References • Guest Profiles • Production Team CardioNerds Cardiovascular Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - REDUCE-IT The Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with EPA-Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) trial was a large randomized controlled trial that showed a significant reduction in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events with use of icosapent ethyl ester in secondary prevention patients and high risk primary prevention patients with diabetes and residual elevated triglycerides between 135 to 499 mg/dL on top of maximally tolerated statin therapy1. Despite the use of high intensity statin therapy, considerable residual risk for future atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease exists in patients with ASCVD.Elevated triglycerides (TGs) are an important marker of increased residual ASCVD risk2.There are two primary types of Omega-3 fish oils: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omege-3 fish oils have been shown to lower triglyceride levels.Low-dose combination EPA and DHA has not exhibited incremental cardiovascular benefit in either primary prevention and secondary prevention patients on top of statin therapy3-5.REDUCE-IT showed the use of high dose EPA in patients with either ASCVD or DM and one additional risk factor, and relatively well-controlled LDL-C levels on maximally tolerated statin therapy and residual hypertriglyceridemia (TG 135-499 mg/dL) results in significant reductions in cardiovascular events over a median follow-up period of 4.9 years1. Show notes - REDUCE-IT Multiple epidemiologic and Mendelian randomization studies have established elevated triglyceride (TG) levels as an important risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular events6-8. However previous clinical trials using TG-lowering medication such as niacin, fibrates and low dose omega-3 fish oil have not shown to reduce cardiovascular events when added to statin therapy in patients with or without ASCVD,9,10.The JELIS trial first demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular events when 1.8g daily of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was added to low-intensity statin therapy in patients with ASCVD and hypercholesterolemia, However, the trial was limited due to open label design without placebo, use of low doses of background statin therapy, and geographic/demographic limitations to participants in Japan11.In a large international multicenter randomized controlled trial, the Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl–Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) randomized 8,179 patients with established atherosclerotic heart disease or diabetes and an additional risk factor, on maximally tolerated statin therapy, to 4 gm/day of icosapent ethyl (a highly purified and stable EPA ethyl ester) or miner...

Dr. Laurence Sperling discusses the inconsistent placement of referrals and enrollment in cardiac rehabilitation programs. They highlight the European Society of Cardiology's chosen threshold of effectiveness and strategies to enhance participation. The speakers emphasize the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation as a comprehensive risk reduction program and advocate for improved access through new care models.

Dr. Eugenia Gianos, director of the Women’s Heart Program at Lenox Hill Hospital, discusses the management of a 70-year-old man with multiple comorbidities and a prior NSTEMI. Topics include appropriate duration of dual antiplatelet therapy, the use of low dose river oxaben in clinical practice, and individualized decision-making based on patient risk factors.

Dr. Eileen Handberg discusses the ESC guidelines for LDL-C levels in a patient with coronary artery disease. The recommended goal LDLC level is <55mg/dL. They explore the importance of lower LDL cholesterol levels and high potency statin prescriptions for improved cardiovascular outcomes.

The following question refers to Section 4.3 of the 2021 ESC CV Prevention Guidelines. The question is asked by Dr. Maryam Barkhordarian, answered first by pharmacy resident Dr. Anushka Tandon, and then by expert faculty Dr. Noreen Nazir. Dr. Noreen Nazir is Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she is the director of cardiac MRI and the preventive cardiology program. The CardioNerds Decipher The Guidelines Series for the 2021 ESC CV Prevention Guidelines represents a collaboration with the ACC Prevention of CVD Section, the National Lipid Association, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association. Question #9 Mr. A is a 28-year-old man who works as an accountant in what he describes as a “desk job” setting. He shares that life got “a little off-track” for him in 2020 between the COVID-19 pandemic and a knee injury. His 2022 New Years’ resolution is to improve his overall cardiovascular and physical health. He has hypertension and a family history of premature ASCVD in his father, who died of a heart attack at age 50. Prior to his knee injury, he went to the gym 3 days a week for 1 hour at a time, split between running on the treadmill and weightlifting. He has not returned to the gym since his injury and has been largely sedentary, although he is trying to incorporate a 20-minute daily walk into his routine. Which of the following exercise-related recommendations is most appropriate? A. A target of 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity or 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical exercise weekly is recommended to reduce all-cause mortality, CV mortality, and morbidity. B. Bouts of exercise less than 30 minutes are not associated with favorable health outcomes. C. Exercise efforts should be focused on aerobic activity, since only this type of activity is associated with mortality and morbidity benefits. D. Light-intensity aerobic activity like walking is expected to have limited health benefits for persons with predominantly sedentary behavior at baseline. Answer #9 The correct answer is A. There is an inverse relationship between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and CV morbidity/mortality, all-cause mortality, and incidence of type 2 diabetes, with additional benefits accrued for exercise beyond the minimum suggested levels. The recommendation to “strive for at least 150-300 min/week of moderate-intensity, or 75-150 min/week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination thereof” is a Class 1 recommendation per the 2021 ESC guidelines, and a very similar recommendation (at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity) is also Class 1 recommendation per 2019 ACC/AHA primary prevention guidelines. Both the ESC and ACC/AHA provide examples of activities grouped by absolute intensity (the amount of energy expended per minute of activity), but the ESC guidelines also offer suggestions for measuring the relative intensity of an activity (maximum/peak associated effort) in Table 7, which allows for a more individualized, customizable approach to setting activity goals. Importantly, individuals who are unable to meet minimum weekly activity recommendations should still be encouraged to stay as active as their abilities and health conditions allow to optimize cardiovascular and overall health. Choice B is incorrect, as data suggests physical activity episodes of any duration, including <10 min, are associated with favorable outcomes like all-cause mortality benefit. The duration of a single exercise bout is less correlated with health benefits than the total physical activity time accumulated per week. Choice C is incorrect. Per the ESC guidelines, it is a class 1 recommendation to perform resistance exercise, in addition to aerobic activity, on 2 or more days per week to reduce all-cause mortality. Data indicate that the addition of resistance exercise to aerobic activity is assoc...

This question refers to Sections 3.1 of the 2021 ESC CV Prevention Guidelines. The question is asked by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student Dr. Hirsh Elhence, answered first by internal medicine resident at Beaumont Hospital and soon to be Mayo Clinic cardiology fellow and Dr. Teodora Donisan and then by expert faculty Dr. Eugene Yang.Dr. Yang is professor of medicine of the University of Washington where he is medical director of the Eastside Specialty Center and the co-Director of the Cardiovascular Wellness and Prevention Program. Dr. Yang is former Governor of the ACC Washington Chapter and current chair of the ACC Prevention of CVD Section.The CardioNerds Decipher The Guidelines Series for the 2021 ESC CV Prevention Guidelines represents a collaboration with the ACC Prevention of CVD Section, the National Lipid Association, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association. Question #8 Please read the following patient vignettes and choose the FALSE statement.A. A 39-year-old man who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals and weight, denies any significant past medical or family history – does not need systematic cardiovascular disease (CVD) assessment.B. A 39-year-old woman who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals and weight, and has a history of radical hysterectomy (no other significant past medical or family history) – could benefit from systematic or opportunistic CVD assessment.C. A 39-year-old woman who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals except for a BMI of 27 kg/m2 and a family history of hypertension – requires a systematic global CVD assessment.D. A 39-year-old man who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals and weight, and has a personal history of type I diabetes – requires a systematic global CVD assessment. Answer #8 The correct answer is C.Option A is an accurate statement, as systematic CVD risk assessment is not recommended in men < 40 years-old and women < 50 years-old, if they have no known cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. (Class III, level C)Option B is an accurate statement, as this patient had a radical hysterectomy, which means the ovaries have been removed as well and she is considered postmenopausal. Systematic or opportunistic CV risk assessment can be considered in men > 40 years-old and women > 50 years-old or postmenopausal, even in the absence of known ASCVD risk factors. (Class IIb, level C)Option C is a false statement and thus the correct answer, as the recommendations for global screening in this patient are not as strong and would require shared decision making. Opportunistic screening of blood pressure can be considered in her, as she is at risk for developing hypertension. Blood pressure screening should be considered in adults at risk for the development of hypertension, such as those who are overweight or with a known family history of hypertension. (Class IIa, level B)Option D is an accurate statement, as systematic global CVD risk assessment is recommended in individuals with any major vascular risk factor (i.e., family history of premature CVD, familial hyperlipidemia, CVD risk factors such as smoking, arterial hypertension, DM, raised lipid level, obesity, or comorbidities increasing CVD risk). (Class I, level C)Additional learning points:Do you know the difference between opportunistic and systematic CVD screening?Opportunistic screening refers to screening without a predefined strategy when the patient presents for different reasons. This is an effective and recommended way to screen for ASCVD risk factors, although it is unclear if it leads to benefits in clinical outcomes.Systematic screening can be done following a clear strategy formally evaluating either the general population or targeted subpopulations (i.e., type 2 diabetics or patients with significant family history of CVD). Systematic screening results in improvements in risk factors but has no proven effect on CVD outcomes.

The following question refers to Section 3.4 of the 2021 ESC CV Prevention Guidelines. The question is asked by student Dr. Adriana Mares, answered first by early career preventive cardiologist Dr. Dipika Gopal, and then by expert faculty Dr. Michael Wesley Milks. Dr. Milks is a staff cardiologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where he serves as the Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and an associate program director of the cardiovascular fellowship. He specializes in preventive cardiology and is a member of the American College of Cardiology's Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Leadership Council. The CardioNerds Decipher The Guidelines Series for the 2021 ESC CV Prevention Guidelines represents a collaboration with the ACC Prevention of CVD Section, the National Lipid Association, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association. Question #7 While you are on holiday break visiting your family, your aunt pulls you aside during the family gathering to ask a few questions about your 70-year-old uncle. He has hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His medications include Fluticasone/Salmeterol, Tiotropium, Albuterol, Lisinopril, Simvastatin, and Metformin. She is very concerned about his risk for heart disease as he has never had his “heart checked out.” She asks if the presence of COPD increases his chance of having heart disease. Which of the following statements would best answer her question? A. Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress caused by COPD promote vascular remodeling and a paradoxical ‘anticoagulant’ state affecting all vasculature types. B. Although chronic COPD is associated with increased cardiovascular events, individual exacerbations have no impact on risk of cardiovascular events. C. Patients with mild-moderate COPD are 8-10x more likely to die from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease than respiratory failure. D. Cardiovascular mortality increases proportionally with an increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) Answer #7 The correct answer is C. Patients with mild-moderate COPD are 8-10x more likely to die from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease than respiratory failure. Patients with COPD have a 2-3-fold increased risk of CV events compared to age-matched controls even when adjusted for tobacco smoking, a shared risk factor. This can be partly explained by other common risk factors including aging, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and low physical activity. Interestingly, CVD mortality increases proportionally with a decrease (rather than increase) in FEV1, making answer choice D wrong (28% increase CVD mortality for every 10% decrease in FEV1). Additionally, COPD exacerbations and related infections are associated with a 4x increase in CVD events, making answer choice B incorrect. COPD has several effects on the vasculature which creates a ‘procoagulant’ not ‘anticoagulant’ effect on all vascular beds. This is associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment due to cerebral microvascular damage as well as increased risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Main Takeaway The presence of COPD (even mild to moderate) has a significant impact on the incidence of non-fatal coronary events, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality mediated by inherent disease process and progression, risk factors (smoking, aging, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia), and systemic inflammation altering vasculature creating a ‘procoagulant’ effect. The ESC gives a Class I indication (LOE C) to investigate for ASCVD and ASCVD risk factors in patients with COPD. Guideline Location 3.4.5, Page 3264. CardioNerds Decipher the Guidelines - 2021 ESC Prevention Series CardioNerds Episode Page CardioNerds Academy Cardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal Club Subscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter! Check out CardioNerds SWAG! Become a CardioNerds Patron!

CardioNerds (Amit Goyal, Daniel Ambinder) and special co-host Dr. Mark Belkin, join the Journal of Cardiac Failure Family to discuss the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure. The JCF Editor-In-Chief Dr. Robert Mentz, Deputy Editor Dr. Anu Lala, and FIT editors -- Dr. Vanessa Bluemer, Dr. Ashish Corrhea, and Dr. Quinton Youmans -- share their hot takes and practical takeaways from the guidelines. At JCF, we’re privileged to share this important document that will support improved care for those living with heart failure,” stated Editor-in Chief Dr. Robert J. Mentz and Deputy Editor Anu Lala. “The 2022 guidelines convey patient-centered updates regarding the language we use to communicate disease considerations (e.g., stages of HF) and practice-changing guidance around the diagnosis and management of HF including newer therapeutics (e.g., SGLT2i). There is an emphasis not only on managing HF but also on how to treat important comorbidities as part of the holistic care for patients living with HF." 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure Executive Summary A Clinician's Guide to the 2022 ACC/AHA/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure by Dr. Michelle Kittleson CardioNerds Heart Success Series PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Guideline Top 10 Take-Home Messages - Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure 1. Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) now includes 4 medication classes that include sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). 2. SGLT2i have a Class of Recommendation 2a in HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF). Weaker recommendations (Class of Recommendation 2b) are made for ARNi, ACEi, ARB, MRA, and beta blockers in this population. 3. New recommendations for HFpEF are made for SGLT2i (Class of Recommendation 2a), MRAs (Class of Recommendation 2b), and ARNi (Class of Recommendation 2b). Several prior recommendations have been renewed including treatment of hypertension (Class of Recommendation 1), treatment of atrial fibrillation (Class of Recommendation 2a), use of ARBs (Class of Recommendation 2b), and avoidance of routine use of nitrates or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (Class of Recommendation 3: No Benefit). 4. Improved LVEF is used to refer to those patients with previous HFrEF who now have an LVEF >40%. These patients should continue their HFrEF treatment. 5.Value statements were created for select recommendations where high-quality, cost-effectiveness studies of the intervention have been published. 6. Amyloid heart disease has new recommendations for treatment including screening for serum and urine monoclonal light chains, bone scintigraphy, genetic sequencing, tetramer stabilizer therapy, and anticoagulation. 7. Evidence supporting increased filling pressures is important for the diagnosis of HF if the LVEF is >40%. Evidence for increased filling pressures can be obtained from noninvasive (e.g., natriuretic peptide, diastolic function on imaging) or invasive testing (e.g., hemodynamic measurement). 8. Patients with advanced HF who wish to prolong survival should be referred to a team specializing in HF. A HF specialty team reviews HF management, assesses suitability for advanced HF therapies, and uses palliative care including palliative inotropes where consistent with the patient's goals of care. 9. Primary prevention is important for those at risk for HF (stage A) or pre-HF (stage B). Stages of HF were revised to emphasize the new terminologies of “at risk” for HF for stage A and pre-HF for stage B. 10.Recommendations are provided for select patients with HF and iron deficiency, anemia, hypertension, sleep disorders,

CardioNerds (Amit Goyal and Daniel Ambinder) join Dr. Phoo Pwint Nandar (former FIT Ambassador), Dr. Deep Shah (current FIT Ambassador), and Dr. Sugat Wagle from the Summa Health Cardiology Department for an afternoon at Cuyahoga National Valley Park. We discuss a case of a post-partum woman who presented with ventricular fibrillation arrest due to SCAD. She had ongoing advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) for nearly 60 minutes before obtaining return of spontaneous circulation. We discuss the broad differential of VF arrest, including acute coronary syndrome and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) – among many others. We also go over the etiology and management of SCAD as well the complications. Pregnancy is a crucial stressor to the cardiovascular system and understanding its hemodynamic changes is crucial to all physicians. The E-CPR segment is provided by Dr. Grace Ayafor, Interventional cardiology faculty, Summa Health. Jump to: Case media - Case teaching - References CardioNerds Case Reports PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Case Media Episode Schematics & Teaching - SCAD Pearls - SCAD SCAD remains underdiagnosed. It has a wide range of clinical presentations, including chest pain, ACS, VT/VF arrest, and cardiogenic shock.Underlying etiologies of SCAD include autoimmune diseases, connective tissue disorders, fibromuscular dysplasia, external stressors, and pregnancy.There are 3 types of SCAD, and coronary angiogram is the gold standard for diagnosis.Common areas of involvement of SCAD include left anterior descending and left circumflex arteries; however, SCAD can manifest in any coronary artery as well as simultaneously in multiple coronary arteries. Left main trunk involvement is rare, more likely to be associated with the peri-partum state, and requires complex management decisions guided by a heart team approach.Most SCAD cases are benign and treated conservatively, however, some require intervention (PCI or CABG) depending on clinical severity and course.Recurrent SCAD has been reported in 10-30% of the patients and aggressive management of hypertension is recommended.Guidelines regarding SCAD management are largely based on expert consensus due to a dearth of high-quality data. Efforts to raise awareness and study this syndrome are of paramount importance. Notes - SCAD 1. What is SCAD and how does it present? Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is defined as an epicardial coronary dissection that is not associated with atherosclerosis or instrumentation.This occurs with hematoma formation within the tunica media,  thereby potentially compressing the arterial true lumen leading to ischemia.There are two proposed mechanisms of hematoma formation: “inside-out” and “outside-in”. The inside-out hypothesis posits that the hematoma arises from the true lumen via a dissection flap – an endothelial-intimal disruption. Conversely the outside-in hypothesis posits that the hematoma arises de novo within the media through disruption of traversing microvessels.There is a wide range of clinical presentation for SCAD varying in severity including asymptomatic / benign presentation, anginal syndromes, acute myocardial infarction, VT/VF arrest, and cardiogenic shock. Our patient presented with VF arrest and ACS.SCAD epidemiology is confounded by a lack of awareness. A high index of suspicion is warranted. Diagnosis can be missed in young or mid-life without CV risk factors who would present with atypical/mild chest pain. 2. What are the etiologies of SCAD? SCAD is associated with the peripartum state (presumed due to combination of hormonal mediated vessel wall integrity changes and hemodynamic stressors), illicit substance use, autoimmune disorders,