Coarctation of the Aorta: What Does it Mean?

Coarctation of the Aorta is a heart defect that is present at birth that affects the aorta and restricts normal blood flow to the lower body. 

In this guide, we’ll discuss what Coarctation of the Aorta is, what symptoms to look out for and what treatment options are available for children born with the condition. 

Key Points:

• Coarctation of the Aorta causes the aorta in the heart to become narrower than normal
• The condition can be mild, moderate or severe and many infants may not show any symptoms at all
• Treatments are available to correct the condition and many of those who receive surgery will go on to live healthy and happy lives

Coarctation of the Aorta (COA) is a congenital heart defect that causes the aorta to be narrower than it should be. 

The aorta is the large artery in the heart that carries oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the body. With COA, less oxygen-rich blood is sent to the body.

What are the signs and symptoms of Coarctation of the Aorta in children?

Mild narrowing of the aorta may cause some children to not display any symptoms at all. Others however, with more severe cases, might display a variety of common symptoms.

Visible symptoms can include:

• Pale skin
• Sweating 
• Heavy breathing 
• Difficulty feeding or eating 
• Poor weight gain 
• Cold feet and legs 

Other symptoms can include:

• High blood pressure in the arms
• Chest pains 
• Pain in the lower legs when walking
• Irritability
• Heart murmurs

What age is Coarctation of the Aorta common?

Coarctation of the Aorta is most often diagnosed in children and infants, however, the diagnosis of the condition will depend on the severity of the condition. 

Although it is rare, COA is sometimes also diagnosed in adults, usually under the age of 40. 

How is Coarctation of the Aorta diagnosed?

In infants, Coarctation of the Aorta is sometimes diagnosed through a prenatal ultrasound. However, most cases are often not diagnosed fully until after birth. 

COA is diagnosed in a variety of ways after birth, including:

• Echocardiogram – This is a moving picture of the heart and the heart valves. Most COA are diagnosed through this test.

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) – An ECG records the electrical activity of the heart and finds abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmia.

• Chest X-rays – In some cases this will show an enlarged heart and other changes that are caused by COA.

• CT Scans – These scans show a detailed picture of the aorta and the area of the narrowing.

• MRI – This shows a detailed picture of the heart and its surroundings, clearly showing the narrowing of the aorta and how large it is. 

How is Coarctation of the Aorta treated?

The treatment of Coarctation of the Aorta will vary depending on your child’s symptoms, age and severity of the condition. 

It can be treated through:

• Cardiac Catheterisation – In this procedure, a catheter is inserted through a blood vessel to the narrowed part of the heart. A balloon at the tip of the catheter is then inflated to stretch open the area. The doctor may put a stent into the narrowed area to keep the aorta open.

• Surgery – During surgery, the surgeon will make an incision into your child’s chest and cut out the narrowed area or make it larger and connect the two ends of the aorta together. In some cases, the surgeon may use additional nearby tissue or patch material to make the aorta longer. 

What are the long term effects of Coarctation of the Aorta?

If untreated, Coarctation of the Aorta can cause several different issues, including:

• Failure of the left ventricle 
• High blood pressure in the upper body and low blood pressure in the lower body
• Kidney failure
• Disease of the coronary arteries
• Infection of the heart and blood vessel walls
• Tearing of the aorta 

However, with the correct treatment early on after diagnosis, many children will not show any of these long term side effects at all as they grow.

Most children will need to have Coarctation of the Aorta fixed when they are young and mild defects may only require monitoring. However, once they have had a COA fixed, children can and usually do go on to live healthy and active lives.

After the repair, your child may need to take antibiotics before surgeries and dental appointments to help ensure infection doesn’t spread. They also may be required to take medicine to lower blood pressure. 

Regular follow-ups will also usually be required to help ensure your child’s heart is healthy and working as it should be.