Vascular conditions affect the veins and arteries in the body, which conduct oxygen to every living cell. In many cases, vascular conditions can be treated without surgery.
Even so, it’s important to see a vascular surgeon, as these problems can impact other parts of your body. Read more+
Exercise, diet, or medication may be prescribed as a first step in regaining your vascular health. Should surgery be needed, our physicians are experienced in every type of surgical intervention, and successfully perform over 1,000 procedures annually, with excellent results.
Left untreated, renal artery stenosis can lead to kidney damage or failure.
Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to one or both of the kidneys. Usually seen in older people with hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), renal artery stenosis can worsen over time.
The condition can cause high blood pressure and kidney damage; as the body sense less blood is reaching the kidneys, it misinterprets the cause as low blood pressure. This signals the release of hormones from the kidney that cause an increase in blood pressure. Over time, renal artery stenosis can lead to kidney failure.
In more than 90% of patients, renal artery stenosis is caused by is caused by atherosclerosis, commonly known as hardening of the arteries, as plaque builds up in the walls of the blood vessels leading to the kidneys.
Other contributing factors include older age, high blood pressure, an abnormal cholesterol level, chronic kidney disease or other vascular disease, and diabetes.
On rare occasions, renal artery stenosis can be caused by fibromuscular dyplasia, a condition in which the cells in the walls of the arteries undergo abnormal growth. More commonly seen in women and younger people, fibromuscular dyplasia is potentially curable.
Symptoms
Renal artery stenosis usually does not cause any specific symptoms.
Sometimes, the first sign of renal artery stenosis is high blood pressure that is extremely difficult to control, along with worsening of previously well-controlled high blood pressure, or elevated blood pressure that affects other organs in the body.
Renal artery stenosis is often discovered in patients who are undergoing tests for another reason. If your doctor suspects that you have renal artery stenosis, tests may be ordered to confirm a diagnosis. These include:
- Blood tests and urine tests to evaluate kidney function
- Kidney ultrasound to show the size and structure of the organ
- Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow to the arteries and kidney
Viewing a 3D image of the kidneys and their blood vessels can be helpful, your vascular surgeon may also order a magnetic resonance arteriogram and computed tomographic angiography.
The first line of treatment for renal artery stenosis is usually medication to control high blood pressure. Patients may also be asked to take other medications such as cholesterol-lowering drugs and aspirin.
In some cases, an angioplasty may be recommended. This procedure involves inserting a catheter into the body through a blood vessel, where it is guided to the damaged renal artery. A balloon on the catheter is then inflated to open up the inside of the artery, and a stent can be placed to keep the area open.
For some patients, surgery to bypass the narrowed or blocked portion of the artery or to remove a non-functioning kidney may be required.
While age and medical history cannot be controlled, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing renal artery stenosis:
- Avoid smoking
- Control high blood pressure
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Limit the intake of fats, sodium and sugar
If you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, make sure you’re seeing your primary physician on a regular basis, so that your condition can be monitored.
Overview
Left untreated, renal artery stenosis can lead to kidney damage or failure.
Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to one or both of the kidneys. Usually seen in older people with hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), renal artery stenosis can worsen over time.
The condition can cause high blood pressure and kidney damage; as the body sense less blood is reaching the kidneys, it misinterprets the cause as low blood pressure. This signals the release of hormones from the kidney that cause an increase in blood pressure. Over time, renal artery stenosis can lead to kidney failure.
Causes / Symptoms
In more than 90% of patients, renal artery stenosis is caused by is caused by atherosclerosis, commonly known as hardening of the arteries, as plaque builds up in the walls of the blood vessels leading to the kidneys.
Other contributing factors include older age, high blood pressure, an abnormal cholesterol level, chronic kidney disease or other vascular disease, and diabetes.
On rare occasions, renal artery stenosis can be caused by fibromuscular dyplasia, a condition in which the cells in the walls of the arteries undergo abnormal growth. More commonly seen in women and younger people, fibromuscular dyplasia is potentially curable.
Symptoms
Renal artery stenosis usually does not cause any specific symptoms.
Sometimes, the first sign of renal artery stenosis is high blood pressure that is extremely difficult to control, along with worsening of previously well-controlled high blood pressure, or elevated blood pressure that affects other organs in the body.
Diagnosis
Renal artery stenosis is often discovered in patients who are undergoing tests for another reason. If your doctor suspects that you have renal artery stenosis, tests may be ordered to confirm a diagnosis. These include:
- Blood tests and urine tests to evaluate kidney function
- Kidney ultrasound to show the size and structure of the organ
- Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow to the arteries and kidney
Viewing a 3D image of the kidneys and their blood vessels can be helpful, your vascular surgeon may also order a magnetic resonance arteriogram and computed tomographic angiography.
Treatment
The first line of treatment for renal artery stenosis is usually medication to control high blood pressure. Patients may also be asked to take other medications such as cholesterol-lowering drugs and aspirin.
In some cases, an angioplasty may be recommended. This procedure involves inserting a catheter into the body through a blood vessel, where it is guided to the damaged renal artery. A balloon on the catheter is then inflated to open up the inside of the artery, and a stent can be placed to keep the area open.
For some patients, surgery to bypass the narrowed or blocked portion of the artery or to remove a non-functioning kidney may be required.
Reducing Risk
While age and medical history cannot be controlled, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing renal artery stenosis:
- Avoid smoking
- Control high blood pressure
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Limit the intake of fats, sodium and sugar
If you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, make sure you’re seeing your primary physician on a regular basis, so that your condition can be monitored.
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