Atherosclerotic renal artery disease

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis may present with hypertension, renal failure (ischemic nephropathy), or congestive heart failure. The prevalence of renal artery stenosis is increasing in patients with other manifestations of atherosclerosis. The diagnosis is being made more frequently due to better screening tests such as duplex ultrasound and magnetic resonance angiography. Renal artery stenosis is discovered incidentally during imaging studies performed for other reasons. Revascularization should be performed using angioplasty and stenting in patients who have hypertension that cannot be adequately controlled with medications, in patients with severe bilateral renal artery stenosis or stenosis to a solitary functioning kidney and in patients with congestive heart failure when no other clear cut cause can be found.