Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital narrowing (constriction) of the aorta that functions physiologically as a fixed resistor placed in series within the circulatory pathway, producing elevated blood pressure proximal to the narrowing (upper extremities, carotids) and decreased blood pressure distal to it (lower extremities), with consequent decreased renal perfusion and activation of renin release. It is classically associated with Turner syndrome (45,X karyotype), which also presents with webbing of the neck (lymphangioma/cystic hygroma from lymphatic dilation) and congenital bicuspid aortic valve. This is a topic within cardiovascular pathology linking a structural vascular anomaly to hemodynamic and endocrine (renin-angiotensin) consequences.
Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital narrowing (constriction) of the aorta that functions physiologically as a fixed resistor placed in series within the circulatory pathway, producing elevated b…