Delayed Diagnosis of Aortic Coarctation

Ablack male native of Cote d’Ivoire (West Africa) met a doctor for the first time at age 3 because of an inability to walk. A traditional African medical practitioner left the parents with little hope. Nevertheless, the patient was finally able to walk but continued to suffer an inability to run.His second meeting with a doctor was at age 30 in the intensive care unit of Abidjan Hospital, Cote d’Ivoire, because of a stroke, with left hemiplegia and coma, associated with high blood pressure. He was discharged from the hospital 15 days later on an antihypertensive drug. The neurological recovery was complete 1 year later.During a checkup …