Coarctation of the aorta is a narrowing of its part. This condition refers to congenital abnormalities.
As is known, through the aorta, blood flows to all vessels from the heart. With the narrowing of the site intake is difficult.
As practice shows, coarctation of the aortamost common in people with certain genetic disorders (for example, Turner syndrome). This defect may also be part of a congenital anomaly of the artery valves.
It should be noted that coarctation of the aorta is considered the most common congenital pathology of the cardiovascular system, detected from the moment of birth until the age of forty.
This defect may also occur in combination with other anomalies. The most common of these include:
- pathology of the mitral aortic valve;
- having only one heart ventricle;
- pathology of an interventricular partition.
Symptoms of the disease depends onable to pass through the constricted area of the blood volume vessel for a certain period. At the same time, the presence of additional anomalies of the development of the cardiovascular system only aggravate the condition.
As the observations show, symptoms appear in the first days of life in approximately half of the newborns who have been diagnosed with aortic coarctation.
Mild cases are characterized by the absence of signs of illness before adolescence.
Symptoms of the disease are:
- fainting;
- dizziness;
- bleeding from the nose;
- headache;
- cold feet or legs;
- dyspnea;
- leg cramps and increased blood pressure during exercise;
- chest pains;
- short stature;
- development retardation;
- fatigue after exercise.
However, it should be remembered that the clinical manifestations of the disease may be absent.
Coarctation of the aorta. Treatment
In most cases, when a disease is detected innewborn surgery is recommended after a short period or immediately. In the first place, it is prescribed stabilizing state drugs.
When diagnosing pathology at an older age, surgery is also indicated. However, due to the weaker symptoms, patients have the opportunity to prepare for intervention.
During surgery, the narrowed area of the aortais opened. At small sizes of the defect it is removed, the ends of the vessel are joined. This method of surgical treatment is called anastomosis. If it is necessary to remove a site of considerable size, a Dacron transplant or part of another patient’s artery is used to compensate for the abnormality.
In rare cases, balloon angioplasty may be used. But this method is characterized by a high level of failures.
Older children prescribed drugs that control blood pressure. In many cases, such therapy is prescribed for life.
The disease can be eliminated by surgical intervention. As practice shows, in most cases, the symptoms disappear after surgery rather quickly.
At the same time there is a high risk of death on the backgroundcardiovascular problems, including, and after surgery. If untreated, most patients die to forty years. Almost always the operation is carried out in infancy.
It should be noted that the narrowing of the lumen mayoccur due to loss of elasticity of the tissue in the vessel walls. Aneurysm may form. Prerequisites for its appearance can also serve as aortic sclerosis. Treatment for this disease is also indicated surgical.
Coarctation of the aorta is impossible to prevent. Experts recommend to undergo regular examinations and, if necessary, to carry out treatment without delay.
