Coarctation of the Aorta

Coarctation of the aorta is usually diagnosed during infancy or early childhood. The timing depends on the severity of the symptoms. Infants with moderate or severe symptoms are typically diagnosed soon after birth. Infants with mild or no symptoms may not be diagnosed until later in childhood when they begin to have high blood pressure. Aortic coarctation is rarely diagnosed in adulthood.

Some newborns are diagnosed before they show visible symptoms. This happens when a pulse oximetry test shows low levels of oxygen in their blood. Low oxygen can be a sign of a serious heart defect like coarctation of the aorta. So, babies with low oxygen would then receive more tests to identify the specific problem.

Most babies and children are diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta when a physical exam reveals certain red flags. Signs that your baby or child may have coarctation of the aorta include:

• High blood pressure in their arms and upper body, but low blood pressure in their legs and lower body.
• Differences in their pulse when measured at their neck versus their groin.
• A distinctive, harsh heart murmur that their provider hears when placing a stethoscope on their back.

Tests to diagnose coarctation of the aorta

When a physical exam raises red flags, your baby or child needs more tests to confirm the aortic coarctation diagnosis. These tests include:

• Echocardiogram (echo). This is the test used most often to confirm the diagnosis of aortic coarctation.
• Cardiac CT scan.
• Chest X-ray.