I Had a Heart Attack At 31 Years Old
Karli Young
| 3 min read
February is American Heart Month, and I wanted to share my experience with having a heart attack — an experience I never thought I’d have at 31 years old.
In April 2024, I suffered a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) heart attack. A SCAD is a rare type of heart attack that occurs when a tear forms in the wall of one or more coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart. Unlike traditional heart attacks, which are caused by plaque buildup, this tear blocks blood flow to the heart, leading to a heart attack. While it is still being studied, we know SCAD primarily affects younger, healthy women with no obvious risk factors.
I had no known reason to be at risk for a heart attack. I ate well and tried to stay active. One day while I was working out, I felt slight chest pain that I didn’t think much of until it gradually intensified. It continued to get worse to the point I was having trouble breathing. The best way to describe it is something I’ve heard said by others – it felt as if an elephant was sitting on my chest. When my left arm started to feel numb and tingly, that’s when I thought something could seriously be wrong. But I kept thinking, “You’re only 31. There’s no reason for you to have a heart attack. You’re overreacting.”
As the pain intensified, instead of thinking I should head to the emergency room, I thought I could just take a nap and sleep it off. But by that time, because I was having trouble breathing, my husband insisted on taking me to the hospital.
When we arrived, although my chest pain was severe, I told them that my pain level was only a 4/10 because I didn’t want to seem dramatic. I had never heard of a SCAD, so I worried I was just overreacting. Although my symptoms pointed to a heart attack, I couldn’t convince myself that’s what it could be.
Now that I’ve talked to other people who have also had a SCAD, I have heard this is a huge issue. As they primarily affect younger, healthy women, they can often be dismissed either by the woman herself or by healthcare providers as a panic attack.
Luckily for me, a nurse that was treating me had recently seen another SCAD case and suggested checking my troponin levels, which are common heart attack markers. They came back extremely elevated. At the time I didn’t know what this meant, and it wasn’t until they transferred me to another hospital that a cardiologist finally told me: “You are having a heart attack and need a cardiac catheterization now.”
What This Experience Taught Me
This experience has really changed my perspective on my health, and it has shown me how important it is to listen when your body is trying to tell you something is wrong.
I wanted to share my story because I had never heard of a SCAD before this happened to me, and most people I’ve told about it have not heard of it either. For most young and healthy people, having a heart attack is not what they’d expect. Like me, they might try to just push through it.
But ignoring symptoms can be dangerous. I’ve learned that if something doesn’t feel right, it is best not to second-guess yourself and to always advocate for yourself and your health. You know your body better than anyone and taking yourself and your symptoms seriously could potentially save your life.
Karli Young is a Medicare Advantage grievance & appeals coordinator at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more health tips, employee stories and insurance guidance, visit MIBlueDaily.com.
Photo credit: Karli Young
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Medically Reviewed by: Shanthi Appelö