Donate now to save women from dangerous
SCAD heart attacks

Stop this heart condition killing apparently healthy, younger women

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) is a devastating and extremely serious heart condition where blood vessels in the heart tear. 1 in 4 heart attacks in women aged 40-50 are caused by SCAD. Many of these women have recently given birth – just like Kristen, pictured above.

Kristen was struck down by a massive heart attack only three days after her beautiful baby girl was born. She was only 40 and had no known cardiovascular risks – it happened all so suddenly.

Not only can SCAD lead to heart attacks – in severe cases it can potentially lead to sudden death. Kristen is a lucky survivor.

It’s not known what causes SCAD. But right now researchers at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute are conducting vital research to try and find out.

What is the Institute doing to prevent SCAD heart attacks?

At the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Australia’s home of heart research, our goal is to find out the causes of SCAD heart attacks and develop therapies to prevent and treat it. There is currently not enough medical research being done around SCAD, but with your help, we can change that.

Our research focus:

• Build and analyse our registry of SCAD patients. We already have almost 400 people taking part in our research (95% women), but the more patients involved the more we can learn about this deadly disease
• Collect DNA and angiograms from these patients, and in some cases look at their wider family as we know SCAD can run in families
• Better understand genetic causes of SCAD heart attacks

How can you help our research into Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD)?

We urgently need funding to find the cause of this devastating condition so we can save more women. Please donate generously.