When you think of a heart attack, you immediately picture someone who is older and might already have underlying health issues.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) happens when a tear forms in a blood vessel in the heart.

It can slow or block blood flow to the heart, causing a heart attack, abnormalities in heart rhythm or sudden death, experts at the Mayo Clinic say.

In total, DeMarco said she has suffered three SCAD heart attacks in the last 10 years.

She said: “Like a regular heart attack, patients may experience a range of symptoms like chest pressure, pain, and shortness of breath.

Research from the American Heart Association states that SCAD is responsible for 35 percent of heart attacks in women under the age of 50