Renal Artery Stenosis
Overview
Definition
The kidneys filter wastes from the blood and make urine. When the blood vessels that supply the kidneys with blood narrow, it’s called renal artery stenosis. The narrowing lowers the amount of blood flowing to one or both kidneys. Problems in both can lead to kidney failure .
The Kidney and its Main Blood Vessels |
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Causes
The kidneys control blood pressure. They help make sure the body has enough oxygen and blood. Narrowing causes blood pressure to go up. High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke and heart attack .
The 2 most common causes are:
- Atherosclerosis —Plaque builds up in the arteries and blocks blood flow.
- Fibromuscular dysplasia—Muscle and tissue thicken on the artery wall and harden into rings. The rings block blood flow.
SymptomsandDiagnosis
Treatments
Treatment
Care involves lowering blood pressure. This will help lower stress on the kidneys. Care may involve:
- Quitting smoking, getting regular exercise, or eating better foods
- Medicines to lower blood pressure
-
Surgery such as:
- Percutaneous angioplasty—using a balloon or stent to open the artery
- Bypass—rebuilding a blood vessel by going around the block
- Remove one or both kidneys— nephrectomy
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
Edits to original content made by Denver Health.
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RESOURCES
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases https//www.niddk.nih.gov
National Kidney Foundation https://www.kidney.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Health Canada https://www.canada.ca
The Kidney Foundation of Canada https://www.kidney.ca
References
Balk E, Raman G, Chung M, et al. Effectiveness of management strategies for renal artery stenosis: A systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2006;145(12):901-912.
Krumme B, Donauer J. Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis and reconstruction. Kidney Int. 2006;70(9):1543-1547.
Renal artery stenosis. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115312/Renal-artery-stenosis . Updated September 8, 2017. Accessed June 11, 2018.
Zeller T. Renal artery stenosis: Epidemiology, clinical manifestation, and percutaneous endovascular therapy. J Interv Cardiol. 2005;18(6):497-506.