Coarctation of the aorta in adults

Thirty-six patients, 19 men and 17 women, presented at age 18 or older between 1952 and 1974 with coarctation of the aorta. Of the 14 (39%) who had associated cardiovascular disease, 12 had aortic stenosis or insufficiency or both. Three patients had infections-two, endocarditis (aortic valve) and one, endarteritis. Three of the seven patients who did not undergo an operation are alive, two at more than 50 years of age. Five patients had myocardial infarctions, two at 35 years of age. Twenty-nine (80%) had operations; in eight instances the patient was over age 40. All 18 patients undergoing repair of isolated coarctation survived, while only 7 of the 11 patients with associated cardiovascular lesions who underwent repair recovered. Aortic valvular disease and myocardial infarction are serious complicating factors in coarctation of the aorta.