I have a 14 yr old son that has coarectation of the aorta is this severe?

Coarctation of the a: Coarctation of the aorta (coa) is a relatively common defect that accounts for 5-8% of all congenital heart defects. The diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta may be missed and diagnosis is often delayed until the patient develops congestive heart failure (chf), which is common in infants, or hypertension, which is common in older children. Coa is a lifelong disease with a guarded prognosis.

Depends: It depends on the severity of the coarctation. Some are very mild. I suspect your child has hypertension which lead to the coarctation diagnosis. In these cases, the coarctation is usually severe enough to require treatment. We can often do this in the cath lab. The procedure is generally safe, but there are risks. Please discuss this with your child's cardiologist.