Coarctation of the aorta
Coarctation of the aorta is a narrowing of the aorta The aorta is the largest blood vessel that leaves the heart and carries oxygen-rich blood throughout the body When the aorta is narrowed due to coarctation, the heart needs to work harder to pump blood through the narrowed segment.
Coarctation of the aorta is mostly congenital Coarctation may be mild or severe Sometimes, it is not diagnosed until adulthood, depending on how narrowed the aortic segment is
Coarctation of the aorta is often found together with other heart defects Treatment of this condition is generally successful, but requires regular monitoring throughout infancy and adulthood
Doctors do not know exactly what causes coarctation of the aorta For unknown reasons, mild or severe narrowing develops in a certain segment of the aorta Coarctation can occur in any part of the aorta, but is most common in the segment of the aorta that is closest to the ductus arteriosus. Coarctation usually begins before birth
Rarely, coarctation develops later in life This condition may be caused by trauma or, rarely, hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) or an inflammatory condition (Takayasu's arteritis).
Coarctation of the aorta usually occurs after the separation of the feeding vessels of the upper extremities, but before the feeding vessels of the lower extremities This means that there may be high blood pressure in the upper limbs and low blood pressure in the lower limbs
Symptoms of coarctation of the aorta depend on the severity of the condition Children with severe coarctation show symptoms early, while milder lesions sometimes appear in adulthood
Most babies show certain symptoms and signs shortly after birth These include:
- pale skin
- irritability
- excessive sweating
- difficulty breathing
Untreated, coarctation can lead to heart failure and death
Some patients have no symptoms because the narrowing is relatively mild If signs and symptoms do occur, the most common is an increase in blood pressure measured in the arm Other symptoms include:
- High blood pressure
- Difficulty breathing
- Headache
- Muscle weakness
- Crampy leg muscle pain or cold ankle
- Nosebled
When Early diagnosis and treatment can save your or your child's life
