What are the symptoms of coarctation of the aorta? Symptoms depend on the severity of the narrowing. Severe cases often are diagnosed at birth or within the first months of life. In mild cases, the individual may be symptom–free into adulthood. Symptoms in an adult may include exercise intolerance, headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, nose bleeds, cold feet or leg pain after exercise, or hard-to-control high blood pressure (hypertension). How is coarctation of the aorta diagnosed? Aortic coarctation usually occurs between the site where the blood vessels branch off the aorta to the upper body and the site where the blood vessels branch to the lower body. Because of this positioning, aortic coarctation causes high blood pressure in the arms and upper body and low blood pressure in the lower body and legs. This blood pressure difference is one of the most distinguishing diagnostic factors for coarctation of the aorta.