Down Syndrome Awareness Month – October 27, 2025

Did you know? Coronary artery disease is uncommon in adults with Down syndrome. 

Coronary artery disease is a type of heart disease in which the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed and hardened. This is caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries and results in reduced blood flow to the heart muscle. A person may experience a myocardial infarction (heart attack) if the plaque builds up to the point that it blocks the flow of blood through one or more of the arteries.

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease in people without Down syndrome; however, it is much less common in people with Down syndrome. A study of the patients seen at the Adult Down Syndrome Center found that coronary artery disease and myocardial infarctions were significantly less common in people with Down syndrome compared to people without Down syndrome. 

Many of our posts throughout Down Syndrome Awareness Month have shared examples of health conditions that people with Down syndrome experience at different frequencies compared to people without Down syndrome. Learn more in the recording of a webinar called Common and Uncommon Health Conditions in Adolescents and Adults with Down Syndrome presented by Brian Chicoine, MD.