Renal Artery Stenosis

Renal artery stenosis is a blockage of an artery to the kidneys. It may cause kidney failure and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Renal artery stenosis symptoms

• Sudden onset of hypertension before age 50 suggests fibromuscular dysplasia-related stenosis
• Sudden onset of hypertension at or after age 50 suggests stenosis caused by atherosclerosis
• Hypertension not responsive to three or more blood pressure medications
• Increased urea (a waste product excreted by the kidneys) in the blood
• Unexplained kidney failure
• Sudden kidney failure when first taking an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor medication for blood pressure and/or heart treatment

Treatment for renal artery stenosis

Medical treatment:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor medication may be prescribed to treat hypertension in patients with fibromuscular dysplasia
• Anti-hypertensive medications may be used to treat high blood pressure
• In stenosis caused by atherosclerosis, medications to lower cholesterol may be prescribed
• Treatment of related medical conditions such as diabetes

Surgical treatment:

• Endovascular procedures such as angioplasty (the opening of a renal artery using a balloon or other method) or placement of a stent (a tiny expandable metal coil placed inside an artery to keep the artery open)

Open surgical procedures to bypass the occluded renal artery. There are several variations of such procedures.