ECG and coarctation of the aorta?

Question

Would coarctation of the aorta in a teenager be noticed when having an ECG done?

I recently had an ECG done for a heart murmur and found out I have a bicuspid aortic valve. I also have frequent migrane-like headaches and was wondering if the two were connected. I have cold extremities also.

Answer 1

Coarctation is not a diagnosis that can be made by ECG alone. If the coarctation is tight enough and has been around long enough, the left ventricle (your heart's main pumping chamber) will start to thicken, much in the same way that a weightlifter's muscles get bigger over time. When this happens, the ECG will show left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). However, LVH can also be seen in someone with long-standing hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or someone who has had significant aortic stenosis.

Likewise, a bicuspid aortic valve can not be diagnosed by an ECG alone. If there is significant stenosis across the valve (in other words, if the valve is tight) then the same sort of LVH can be seen on the ECG. Again, without a history and physical exam, you only have a list of possible diagnoses but no way to tell which one is correct.

If the coarctation is relatively mild or has not been present long enough, the ECG may look completely normal. A bicuspid aortic valve without significant stenosis may look completely normal on ECG as well!

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

taken directly from:
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/heart/coa.html

"If a teen has the signs or symptoms of COA, the doctor may refer him or her to a pediatric cardiologist — a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating heart disease in kids and teens. The cardiologist will listen to the heart, feel the pulses, measure blood pressure, and will probably order an echocardiogram, a test that uses sound waves to create a picture of the heart and its circulation. A cardiologist may also use other tests that produce images of the heart, such as a chest X-ray, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test or a computerized tomography (CT) scan to look for a narrowing of the aorta."

Hope this helps...check out the link I gave for some more great info.