We present a 13-year-old boy with an anterior cerebral rupture following a delayed diagnosis for descending CoA. Also, long-term complications without timely intervention result in refractory hypertension, including premature coronary artery disease, stroke, endocarditis, aortic dissection, and heart failure ( 6). Thus, a delay in diagnosis and treatment may cause severe and adverse consequences. The importance of upper and lower extremity blood pressure determination is emphasized as part of an initial routine physical examination ( 5). In a facility-based review of cases reported by Woldmichael and Aklilu delayed diagnosis coupled with a delay in intervention after diagnosis were found in some CoA patients ( 4).Ĭlinically, CoA is a congenital cardiac malformation that is often misdiagnosed despite specific physical findings ( 5) therefore, early diagnosis and referrals for patients with CoA are recommended ( 4). Interestingly, CoA is also a secondary cause of hypertension ( 2, 3). Notably, if thorough physical examinations are not performed, patients with this congenital cardiac malformation can survive for an extended period, given the subtle clinical signs associated with CoA ( 2). Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is one of the most common congenital heart disease malformations and represents a spectrum of aortic narrowing that varies from a discrete entity to tubular hypoplasia ( 1).
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