Coarctation

/koʊɑrkˈteɪʃən/ noun

Definition

A constriction or narrowing, especially of a blood vessel or other body passage; the process of constricting.

Etymology

From coarct + -ation, from Latin coarctatio. Became a standard medical term for describing vascular constrictions in the 18th century.

Kelly Says

Coarctation of the aorta is a birth defect where the heart's main artery is too narrow—it's one of the first heart conditions doctors learned to surgically fix.

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