Coarctation of the aorta: from fetal life to adulthood

Coarctation of the aorta was once viewed as a simple discrete narrowing of the aortic isthmus that could be 'cured' by surgical intervention. It is now clear that this condition may: (1) affect the aortic arch in a highly variable manner; (2) be associated with a host of other left sided heart lesions; (3) represent a wider vasculopathy within the pre-coarctation arterial tree, leading to significant prevalence of hypertension by adolescence, and subsequent risk of early morbidity and death. This review outlines the evaluation and treatment of this disease from pre-natal to adult life.