SCAD: a rare case of cardiac arrest in a young female

A 43-year-old caucasian female without prior history or family history of cardiac disease presented to a community hospital with severe chest pain and electrocardiographic evidence of an acute left anterior descending (LAD) territory infarction. Duringtransferto ourtertiaryfacility, the patient had a cardiac arrest and was cardioverted in the ambulance. After arrival, the patient suffered a second cardiac arrest, was given CPR, cardioverted, intubated and given volume resuscitation. The patient was stabilized with vasopressors and was taken to the cardiac catherization (cath) lab where an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was inserted. At catherization, the patient was found to have an acute left main coronary artery dissection and had evidence of cardiogenic shock. Prompt treatment including multiple stents, hypothermia protocol (HP), left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and multiple inotropic agents resulted in complete clinical recovery.