Causes

Doctors aren't certain what causes coarctation of the aorta. The condition is generally present at birth (congenital). Congenital heart defects are the most common of all birth defects.

Rarely, coarctation of the aorta develops later in life. Conditions or events that can narrow the aorta and cause this condition include:

• Traumatic injury
• Severe hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
• Inflamed arteries (Takayasu's arteritis)

Coarctation of the aorta usually occurs beyond the blood vessels that branch off to your upper body and before the blood vessels that lead to your lower body. This can often lead to high blood pressure in your arms but low blood pressure in your legs and ankles.

With coarctation of the aorta, the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) of your heart works harder to pump blood through the narrowed aorta, and blood pressure increases in the left ventricle. This may cause the wall of the left ventricle to thicken (hypertrophy).