About this topic
The aorta is a large blood vessel. It takes blood from the heart to the rest of the body. With this disease, there is a narrow part of the blood vessel. This is called a coarctation. The narrow part is present from birth. Sometimes, a person does not find out about the narrowing until they are an adult. The narrowing may be treated with surgery or having a stent placed. If this problem is not treated, it may cause other heart problems, like high blood pressure. ‚
Repair of the CoA is done to correct or remove the narrowed part of aorta. When this is done, normal flow of blood in restored and the signs of CoA will disappear. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Control your blood pressure. Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- If you had surgery, talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- If a catheter was used to correct your problem:
- Take short walks each day around your house.
- Limit using the stairs for the first 2 to 3 days after surgery.
- Take good care of your mouth and teeth. Brush your teeth after every each meal. Floss 2 times a day. People with aortic coarctation are at risk of endocarditis or swelling of the inner lining of the heart. This may come from germs in your mouth.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- You will need to have regular check ups with a heart specialist, even after the problem with your aorta has been fixed.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Lower blood pressure
- Relax the heart muscles and allow blood flow
- Slow the heart rate
Will physical activity be limited?
Being active and working out may help your heart be stronger. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
Eating a healthy diet is important during this time. This means: ‚
- Eat whole grain foods and foods high in fiber.
- Choose many different fruits and veggies. Fresh or frozen is best.
- Cut back on solid fats like butter or margarine. Eat less fatty or processed foods.
- Eat more low fat or lean meats like chicken, fish, or turkey. Eat less red meat.
- Limit beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol).
- Avoid caffeine.
What problems could happen?
- High blood pressure
- Aorta becomes narrow again
- Area of a blood vessel becomes weak and stretches
- Blood vessel may break open
- Coronary artery disease
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
There is no known way to prevent this health problem. ‚
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, dizziness, cough, and more sputum or change in color of sputum.
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Numbness, pain, or swelling at the cut site or where the catheter was put in
- Not able to move your legs
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have trouble breathing, chest pain, or problems at the cut site.
Where can I learn more?
American Heart Association ‚
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/AboutCongenitalHeartDefects/Coarctation-of-the-Aorta-CoA_UCM_307022_Article.jsp ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/heart/coa.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚