Primary-care management of patients with coarctation of the aorta.

Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital cardiac defect that results in a variable degree of obstruction to the left side of the heart. It can present with either acute shock in the neonatal period as a critical lesion or it can appear more insidiously with hypertension or other findings later in life. This article summarises aspects of outpatient care of patients with this lesion, including clinical history and physical examination, ancillary testing, and issues associated with long-term follow-up and management. Increasing knowledge and experience with this group of patients have allowed for a higher level of evidence-based care over the long term.