What is coarctation of the aorta?

What is coarctation of the aorta?

Coarctation of the aorta is a common congenital (present at birth) heart defect.

Coarctation comes from the Latin coartare, meaning "to press together." In coarctation of the aorta, the aorta is pinched in or narrowed, either in a single location or along a portion of its length. This narrowing restricts normal blood flow through the aorta.