Coarctation of the aorta or aortic coarctation is a narrowing of the aorta, the large blood vessel that branches off your heart and delivers oxygen-rich blood to the body. When this occurs, the heart must pump harder to force blood through the narrowed part of your aorta. Coarctation of the aorta is generally present at birth (congenital).
Symptoms:
• Pale skin
• Irritability
• Heavy sweating
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty feeding
• High blood pressure
• Headache
• Muscle weakness
• Leg cramps or cold feet
• Nosebleeds
• Chest pain
Diagnoses:
• Echocardiogram.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG).
• Chest X-ray
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan
• Cardiac catheterization
Treatment:
• Resection with end-to-end anastomosis.
• Subclavian flap Aortoplasty
• Bypass graft repair
• Patch Aortoplast
• Balloon angioplasty and stenting
• Medication
