A nurse is caring for an infant who has coarctation of the aorta. Which of the following should the nurse identify as an expected finding?

Rationale: A. Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital narrowing of the aorta, most commonly occurring distal to the origin of the subclavian artery. This obstruction reduces blood flow to the lower extremities, leading to weak or absent femoral pulses, while upper extremity pulses are typically stronger. Blood pressure is also higher in the upper extremities compared to the lower extremities. B. Nosebleeds are not a typical finding in infants with coarctation of the aorta. They may occur in older children or adults with uncontrolled hypertension, but they are not an expected or primary manifestation in infants. C. In coarctation of the aorta, the narrowing causes increased pressure proximal to the defect (upper body), resulting in hypertension in the upper extremities, not hypotension. The lower extremities experience decreased perfusion and lower blood pressure. D. Increased intracranial pressure is not a direct manifestation of coarctation of the aorta. While severe hypertension can have neurologic effects in older clients, infants with coarctation typically present with poor systemic perfusion to the lower body rather than neurologic signs. Therefore, weak femoral pulses are the expected finding in coarctation of the aorta.