Definition

A condition where a blood vessel, especially the aorta, is narrowed or constricted, which can affect blood flow.

Example

The doctor diagnosed the patient with coarctation of the aorta, which required immediate treatment.

Conversation

I just read about coarctation of the aorta in my biology class.

Oh, really? What does that mean exactly?

It's basically a narrowing of the aorta, which can cause serious issues.

That sounds concerning! I hope they have good treatments for it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Coarctation → It is formed from "co-" (meaning together) and "arctare" (meaning to narrow or constrict). The word describes the act of narrowing or constricting something together, often used in a medical context to refer to the narrowing of a blood vessel.

Memory Tip

Think of 'together' ('co-') and 'narrowing' ('arctare') to remember that coarctation means a constriction or narrowing that occurs together.

Visually Confused Words