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Case Studies in Emergency Medicine pp 285–292Cite as

Coarctation of the Aorta: Open Your Heart to Me, Baby

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Abstract

This chapter reviews undiagnosed congenital heart disease. The most common is coarctation of the aorta. This life-threatening condition requires prompt recognition and intervention. A patient with critical coarctation may present suddenly at the time a patent ductus arteriosus suddenly closes. This presence of a heart murmur in conjunction with weak pulses in the lower extremities, listlessness, and a history of poor feed can be big clues to the diagnosis. The EKG may show right ventricular hypertrophy, and the chest X-ray may show cardiomegaly. Prompt resuscitation is paramount, and the initiation of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) should be done immediately upon suspicion of the diagnosis.

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Disclosure Statement

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA

    Christopher Jones

  2. Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA

    Jennifer Mitzman

  3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Jennifer Mitzman

Authors
  1. Christopher Jones
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  2. Jennifer Mitzman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Colin G. Kaide

  2. Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Christopher E. San Miguel

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Jones, C., Mitzman, J. (2020). Coarctation of the Aorta: Open Your Heart to Me, Baby . In: Kaide, C., San Miguel, C. (eds) Case Studies in Emergency Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22445-5_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22445-5_28

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-22444-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-22445-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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