Health's Book

Definition

Aortic coarctation is a narrowing of part of the aorta (the major artery leading out of the heart). It is a type of birth defect. Coarctation means narrowing.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on how much blood can flow through the artery. Other heart defects may also play a role.
Around half of newborns with this problem will have symptoms in the first few days of life.In milder cases, symptoms may not develop until the child has reached adolescence. Symptoms include:

• Dizziness or fainting
• Shortness of breath
• Pounding headache
• Chest pain
• Cold feet or legs
• Nosebleed
• Leg cramps with exercise
• High blood pressure (hypertension) with exercise
• Decreased ability to exercise
• Failure to thrive
• Poor growt

        Note: There may be no symptom