Late diagnosis of severe aortic coarctation in a 65-year-old endurance athlete: Insights into exercise physiology and collateral compensation.

BACKGROUND

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a relatively rare congenital narrowing of the distal aortic arch to proximal descending thoracic aorta, usually diagnosed in infancy or early childhood with upper extremity hypertension as a typical finding. Late detection in asymptomatic, physically active older adults is rare and can be clinically significant.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present the case of a 65-year-old lifelong endurance athlete found to have transient severe left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction after completing a marathon. Stress testing revealed a hypertensive response, prompting cardiac MRI, which detected a new severe juxta-ductal CoA with collateralization. The patient underwent successful endovascular stenting with improved blood pressure response and stabilization of LV function.

CONCLUSION

This case underscores the importance of thorough cardiovascular assessment in older athletes and highlights the impact of lifelong exercise in compensating for congenital defects like CoA.