LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - As Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month comes to a close, Centra Health is shedding light on a rare type of heart attack that often goes unnoticed, especially among women.

It can happen suddenly — without warning. A young, healthy woman WITH no family history of heart disease, no red flags, yet her heart tears from the inside.

It’s called Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection, or SCAD. A rare type of heart attack that’s gaining more recognition among patients and doctors.

“…and this can create like blockages, pressures, cut off blood supply to the heart muscles. So essentially, it leads to a heart attack, but the mechanism is just different than a typical heart attack that we normally understand," said Dr. Eve Chongthammakun, a Cardiologist, with Centra Health.

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