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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
Coarctation of the aorta generally begins before birth. Although aortic coarctation can occur anywhere along the aorta, most people with the condition have what's called "juxtaductal" coarctation. This means that the coarctation is located near a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus. Shortly after birth, the ductus arteriosus naturally closes. While it's not certain what causes coarctation of the aorta, it's possible that some of the tissue from the ductus arteriosus moves into the wall of the aorta. As the ductus arteriosis closes, it may cause the aorta to narrow.
Rarely, coarctation of the aorta may develop later in life. Severe hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) or a condition causing inflamed arteries (Takayasu's arteritis) may narrow your aorta, leading to aortic coarctation.
Coarctation of the aorta usually occurs beyond the blood vessels branching off the aorta to your upper body and before the blood vessels leading to your lower body. This often means you'll have high blood pressure in your arms, but low blood pressure in your legs and ankles.
