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Coarctation of the Aorta

Abel Casso Dominguez, MD and Edgar Argulian, MPH, MD Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a narrowing of the descending aorta typically at the aortic isthmus, the region of insertion of the ductus arteriosus just distal to the left subcla...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Neonatal period: Patients may remain asymptomatic if there is a persistent PDA or if the coarctation is not severe. A neonate with severe coarctation may present with signs of shock s...

TREATMENT

Treatment options and timing depend on age of diagnosis and severity of narrowing. 

MEDICATION

  • In neonates in critical condition, the immediate goals of management are to improve left ventricu...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Lifelong cardiology follow-up; yearly visits are recommended (2)[C].

  • Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in adults with CoA can be useful for diagnosis and manag...

REFERENCES

1
Donofrio  MT, Moon-Grady  AJ, Hornberger  LK, et al; and American Heart Association Adults With Congenital Heart Disease Joint Committee of the Council on Cardiovasc...

CODES

ICD10

Q25.1 Coarctation of aorta 

SNOMED

7305005 Coarctation of aorta (disorder) 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • CoA is notoriously difficult to diagnose in fetal life and may be missed in the newborn period because most patients are asymptomatic.

  • Screening for “brachial-femoral delay” by simultan...

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