Authors: Carlos Barrios, MSc, HBSc, RDCS,CRCS, DMS, and Michael Giuffre,BSc, MD

Coarctation of the aorta accounts for 5–7% of all the cases of congenital heart disease, with an estimated incidence of approximately 3 cases per 10,000 births. Coarctation of the aorta typically presents in the neonatal or early childhood period. The less severe coarctation patients may have subtle clinical findings such as elevated upper limb blood pressure, diminished femoral pulses, and a systolic ejection murmur that often transmits to the back. This case demonstrates that coarctation can be seen in the otherwise healthy adolescent population.

Reprinted with permission from Barrios C and Giuffre M. Adolescent Systemic Hypertension: Late Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta. Canadian Journal of Medical Sonography 2019;10(2):19-22.