It's still considered relatively rare for a younger adult to have a heart attack
But research suggests that while heart attack rates have declined in older adults, they've increased in those under age 40, especially among women.
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And a new study is revealing some potential hidden causes of that concerning trend.
In the U.S, coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart attacks. It causes the narrowing of arteries due to plaque build-up, restricting blood flow.
But not all heart attacks are caused by blockages.
"There are different types of heart attack and non-traditional heart attacks that can affect younger people," warning Dr. Claire Raphael, an interventional cardiologist with Mayo Clinic.
Raphael is the first author of a study that looks into why there's a concerning rise in heart attacks among young adults, especially younger women, who don't necessarily have traditional risk factors like high cholesterol.
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She says 1 in 10 heart attacks in women under age 65 are caused by something called spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD).
"The artery in the heart suddenly develops either a tear or blood forms around the outside of the artery, and that impedes the blood supply to the rest of the heart so it causes a heart attack without having any cholesterol build up," Raphael explained.
Researchers say SCAD was found to be nearly six times more common in women than men and typically affects younger and otherwise healthy women.
Raphael said SCAD can be triggered by something like intense exercise but can also happen out of the blue, and she hopes this data brings awareness of these more nontraditional causes of heart attacks.
"Anyone can have a heart attack. it's not just older people or smokers" Raphael said. "So, if you have chest pain and you don't feel right, get it checked out."
Raphael says of the nearly 1,500 heart attacks studied, the second-most common cause overall -- and the deadliest -- was heart attacks caused by stressors like anemia or an infection.
Those attacks were associated with a five-year mortality rate of 33%.