Nursing Commons^™

Coarctation Of The Aorta, Megan Berens

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a ductal dependent congenital heart defect that causes decreased blood flow to areas of the body distal to the site of constriction. CoA is one of the most common congenital heart defects, though is often missed in neonatal assessments. Neonatal patients with CoA often present to the hospital in a state of cardiopulmonary collapse. CoA is occasionally diagnosed in older children and adults who have upper extremity hypertension and decreased femoral pulses. CoA repair is performed through surgery or percutaneous catheter interventions. Patients with CoA have an increased likelihood of developing other vascular lesions. …