Coarctation of aorta

• • Congenital anomaly in which part of the aorta is narrowed, reducing blood flow to the lower body and legs • • Symptoms include high blood pressure, chest pain, cold feet, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting • • Treatment includes medications, surgery, balloon angioplasty with stenting • • Involves Pediatric Cardiology, Adult Congenital Heart Program, Structural Heart Disease Program When a baby is born with a narrowed section of aorta (the large artery that delivers oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body), it is a condition known as coarctation of the aorta. A congenital (or “present from birth”) heart anomaly, coarctation of the aorta is typically diagnosed in newborns, especially when the condition is severe enough to cause noticeable, life-threatening symptoms. If the narrowing is mild, however, the condition may not be diagnosed until later in childhood or even as a teen or an adult. Most commonly, the narrowing occurs just below where the arteries branch off to bring oxygen-rich blood to the upper portion of the body, including the head and arms. For this reason, blood flow to the organs in the lower portion of the body and the legs is reduced. One sign of coarctation of the aorta is having high blood pressure readings in the arms and low blood pressure readings in the legs. According to the Fortunately, surgery can restore blood flow throughout the body, effectively curing the condition. Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital anomaly that...

The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygenated blood out of the heart to the body. It starts at the left ventricle of the heart as one large vessel and branches out into the smaller blood vessels of the body. Arteries that deliver blood to the head, arms and other parts of the upper body branch off from the upper, ascending aortic arch. Arteries that deliver blood to the abdomen, legs and other parts of the lower body branch off from the lower, descending aorta. With the Because of this narrowing, the left ventricle of the heart must pump much harder than normal to move blood through the aorta to the lower body. This can lead to damage to the heart (heart failure) and high blood pressure in the heart and brain. It can also damage the organs in the lower body that don't get enough blood. Sometimes children with coarctation of the aorta can also have a What are the signs and symptoms of coarctation of the aorta? In severe cases, coarctation of the aorta symptoms will appear within the first few days of life. The more the aorta is narrowed, the more severe the symptoms will be. In infants where the coarctation of the aorta is severe or moderate, symptoms can include: • Labored or rapid breathing • Weak femoral artery pulse (taken in the groin area) • Heavy sweating • Poor growth • Pale or gray appearance • Heart murmur: extra heart sound heard when the doctor listens with a stethoscope If the narrowing is mild, coarctation of the aorta symptoms may go unnoticed until th...

The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It carries oxygen-filled blood from the heart to different organs in the body. The aorta starts at the heart’s left ventricle, arches upwards towards the neck, then curves back downward, extending into the abdomen. Learn more about the important role the aorta plays in the body. Anatomy Structure The aorta is the largest artery in the body to which all other major arteries are connected. It is a big tube-like structure, usually about 1 inch wide in diameter, although its size varies proportionally to the height and weight of the person. The aorta is widest at the point where it connects to the heart's left ventricle through the aortic valve; then, it gets progressively narrower as it descends into the abdomen. • Ascending aorta: This is the first part of the aorta and it is connected to the left ventricle of the heart (the part that pumps oxygenated blood to the body's tissues and organs).The ascending aorta starts at the aortic valve which closes and opens to stop and allow the flow of blood from the heart into the aorta. • • Descending aorta: This is the part of the aorta that travels downward from the aortic arch through the chest. It is also known as descending thoracic aorta or simply thoracic aorta. • The tunica media is the middle layer. This layer is made of smooth muscle, elastic tissue, and collagen. The tunica adventitia is the outer layer. This layer is made of connective tissue like collagen and a network of small b...

The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It carries oxygen-filled blood from the heart to different organs in the body. The aorta starts at the heart’s left ventricle, arches upwards towards the neck, then curves back downward, extending into the abdomen. Learn more about the important role the aorta plays in the body. Anatomy Structure The aorta is the largest artery in the body to which all other major arteries are connected. It is a big tube-like structure, usually about 1 inch wide in diameter, although its size varies proportionally to the height and weight of the person. The aorta is widest at the point where it connects to the heart's left ventricle through the aortic valve; then, it gets progressively narrower as it descends into the abdomen. • Ascending aorta: This is the first part of the aorta and it is connected to the left ventricle of the heart (the part that pumps oxygenated blood to the body's tissues and organs).The ascending aorta starts at the aortic valve which closes and opens to stop and allow the flow of blood from the heart into the aorta. • • Descending aorta: This is the part of the aorta that travels downward from the aortic arch through the chest. It is also known as descending thoracic aorta or simply thoracic aorta. • The tunica media is the middle layer. This layer is made of smooth muscle, elastic tissue, and collagen. The tunica adventitia is the outer layer. This layer is made of connective tissue like collagen and a network of small b...

Coarctation of the aorta is a localized narrowing of the aortic lumen that results in upper-extremity hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, and, if severe, malperfusion of the abdominal organs and lower extremities. Symptoms vary with the anomaly’s severity and range from headache, chest pain, cold extremities, fatigue, and leg claudication to fulminant heart failure and shock. A soft bruit may be heard over the coarctation site. Diagnosis is by echocardiography or by CT or MR angiography. Treatment is balloon angioplasty with stent placement, or surgical correction. Coarctation of the aorta accounts for 6 to 8% of congenital heart anomalies. It occurs in 10 to 20% of patients with Turner Syndrome In Turner syndrome, girls are born with one of their two X chromosomes partly or completely missing. Diagnosis is based on clinical findings and is confirmed by cytogenetic analysis. Treatment... read more . The male:female ratio is 2:1. Pathophysiology of Coarctation of the Aorta Coarctation of the aorta usually occurs at the proximal thoracic aorta just beyond the left subclavian artery and just across from the opening of the ductus arteriosus. Coarctation rarely involves the abdominal aorta. Thus, in utero and before the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closes, much of the cardiac output bypasses the coarctation via the PDA. Coarctation may occur alone or with various other congenital anomalies (eg, Bicuspid Aortic Valve Bicuspid aortic valve is the presence of only two (r...

• • Congenital anomaly in which part of the aorta is narrowed, reducing blood flow to the lower body and legs • • Symptoms include high blood pressure, chest pain, cold feet, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting • • Treatment includes medications, surgery, balloon angioplasty with stenting • • Involves Pediatric Cardiology, Adult Congenital Heart Program, Structural Heart Disease Program When a baby is born with a narrowed section of aorta (the large artery that delivers oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body), it is a condition known as coarctation of the aorta. A congenital (or “present from birth”) heart anomaly, coarctation of the aorta is typically diagnosed in newborns, especially when the condition is severe enough to cause noticeable, life-threatening symptoms. If the narrowing is mild, however, the condition may not be diagnosed until later in childhood or even as a teen or an adult. Most commonly, the narrowing occurs just below where the arteries branch off to bring oxygen-rich blood to the upper portion of the body, including the head and arms. For this reason, blood flow to the organs in the lower portion of the body and the legs is reduced. One sign of coarctation of the aorta is having high blood pressure readings in the arms and low blood pressure readings in the legs. According to the Fortunately, surgery can restore blood flow throughout the body, effectively curing the condition. Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital anomaly that...

The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygenated blood out of the heart to the body. It starts at the left ventricle of the heart as one large vessel and branches out into the smaller blood vessels of the body. Arteries that deliver blood to the head, arms and other parts of the upper body branch off from the upper, ascending aortic arch. Arteries that deliver blood to the abdomen, legs and other parts of the lower body branch off from the lower, descending aorta. With the Because of this narrowing, the left ventricle of the heart must pump much harder than normal to move blood through the aorta to the lower body. This can lead to damage to the heart (heart failure) and high blood pressure in the heart and brain. It can also damage the organs in the lower body that don't get enough blood. Sometimes children with coarctation of the aorta can also have a What are the signs and symptoms of coarctation of the aorta? In severe cases, coarctation of the aorta symptoms will appear within the first few days of life. The more the aorta is narrowed, the more severe the symptoms will be. In infants where the coarctation of the aorta is severe or moderate, symptoms can include: • Labored or rapid breathing • Weak femoral artery pulse (taken in the groin area) • Heavy sweating • Poor growth • Pale or gray appearance • Heart murmur: extra heart sound heard when the doctor listens with a stethoscope If the narrowing is mild, coarctation of the aorta symptoms may go unnoticed until th...

The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It carries oxygen-filled blood from the heart to different organs in the body. The aorta starts at the heart’s left ventricle, arches upwards towards the neck, then curves back downward, extending into the abdomen. Learn more about the important role the aorta plays in the body. Anatomy Structure The aorta is the largest artery in the body to which all other major arteries are connected. It is a big tube-like structure, usually about 1 inch wide in diameter, although its size varies proportionally to the height and weight of the person. The aorta is widest at the point where it connects to the heart's left ventricle through the aortic valve; then, it gets progressively narrower as it descends into the abdomen. • Ascending aorta: This is the first part of the aorta and it is connected to the left ventricle of the heart (the part that pumps oxygenated blood to the body's tissues and organs).The ascending aorta starts at the aortic valve which closes and opens to stop and allow the flow of blood from the heart into the aorta. • • Descending aorta: This is the part of the aorta that travels downward from the aortic arch through the chest. It is also known as descending thoracic aorta or simply thoracic aorta. • The tunica media is the middle layer. This layer is made of smooth muscle, elastic tissue, and collagen. The tunica adventitia is the outer layer. This layer is made of connective tissue like collagen and a network of small b...

• • Congenital anomaly in which part of the aorta is narrowed, reducing blood flow to the lower body and legs • • Symptoms include high blood pressure, chest pain, cold feet, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting • • Treatment includes medications, surgery, balloon angioplasty with stenting • • Involves Pediatric Cardiology, Adult Congenital Heart Program, Structural Heart Disease Program When a baby is born with a narrowed section of aorta (the large artery that delivers oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body), it is a condition known as coarctation of the aorta. A congenital (or “present from birth”) heart anomaly, coarctation of the aorta is typically diagnosed in newborns, especially when the condition is severe enough to cause noticeable, life-threatening symptoms. If the narrowing is mild, however, the condition may not be diagnosed until later in childhood or even as a teen or an adult. Most commonly, the narrowing occurs just below where the arteries branch off to bring oxygen-rich blood to the upper portion of the body, including the head and arms. For this reason, blood flow to the organs in the lower portion of the body and the legs is reduced. One sign of coarctation of the aorta is having high blood pressure readings in the arms and low blood pressure readings in the legs. According to the Fortunately, surgery can restore blood flow throughout the body, effectively curing the condition. Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital anomaly that...