The doctor may hear a loud whooshing sound, called a bruit, when listening to the kidney area with a stethoscope.
A blood pressure reading may be high. The patient may have a history of high blood pressure that is hard to control or does not get better with medicine.
Imaging tests may show that the kidney is smaller or a decrease in blood flow because of a narrowed artery. Such tests may include:
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. If only one artery is involved, the second kidney may be able to filter and produce urine.
Surgery may be needed in some cases. Alternatives to surgery include a balloon angioplasty or stenting.
Medications may be needed to control high blood pressure. Renal hypertension caused by this condition may be difficult to treat. For treatment information, see the article on renal hypertension .
Some cases of renal artery stenosis may be prevented by avoiding smoking.
References:
Safian RD, Textor SC. Renal-artery stenosis. N Engl J Med.2001;344:431-442.
White CJ. Catheter-based therapy for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. Circulation. 2006;113:1464-1473.
Balk E, Raman G, Chung M, Ip S, Tatsioni A, Alonso A, et al. Effectiveness of management strategies for renal artery stenosis: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2006;145:901-912.
Review Date: 4/14/2008 Reviewed By: Parul Patel, MD, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology and Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, Department of Transplantation, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
