Is aortic coarctation serious?

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Coarctation of the aorta, called coarctation in English, is a congenital defect, which means that part of the aorta is narrower than usual. If the stenosis is severe enough, the baby may have serious problems and may need surgery soon after birth. Therefore, coarctation of aorta is usually considered as a serious congenital heart disease. This defect occurs when the aorta does not form normally during fetal development during pregnancy. Aortic stenosis usually occurs in the posterior part of the artery. Is aortic coarctation serious? I'd like to share my views with you.

Is aortic coarctation serious?

First, the aorta narrows, preventing normal blood flow to the body. This causes the blood to return to the left ventricle, causing the left ventricular muscles to contract harder to get the blood out of the left ventricle. Because the stenosis of the aorta is usually located behind the branches of the arteries in the upper body, narrowing of the arteries in this area can lead to high blood pressure, increased blood circulation in the head and arms, and decreased blood pressure in the legs and lower body.

Second: if the situation is very serious, blood may not be able to enter the lower body. Ventricular contractions can thicken the heart wall to pump blood harder, which can eventually damage the heart muscle and lead to heart failure. Coarctation of the aorta usually occurs simultaneously with other congenital heart diseases.

Finally: the causes of most heart defects in infants, including coarctation of the aorta, are unclear. Some babies have heart defects due to genetic or chromosomal changes. Coarctation of the aorta is also thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other risk factors, such as what the mother is exposed to in the environment, mother's diet and mother's medication. Coarctation of the aorta is usually diagnosed after birth. The diagnosis depends on the severity of the lesion. Coarctation of the aorta may or may not be detected in neonatal screening using pulse oximeter during the first few days of life.

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At any age, once symptoms appear, the narrowed aorta needs to be dilated. This can be done by surgery or balloon angioplasty. Even after surgery, children with coarctation of the aorta usually have high blood pressure and need medication. For children and adults with coarctation of the aorta, regular monitoring of disease progression with cardiologists is required.