Renal vascular disease as a cause of hypertension

In spite of our comprehensive understanding of renovascular hypertension, diagnostic tests based on the pathophysiology of the disease have been disappointing in their sensitivity and specificity. They are particularly unreliable in the setting of bilateral disease and renal dysfunction. The recent results of vascular surgery and renal angioplasty combined with the use of metallic stents have shown dramatic benefits in revascularization even in the setting of renal artery occlusion, ostial renal artery stenosis, and renal dysfunction. Timely diagnosis and intervention are imperative, and, therefore, we recommend the early use of arteriography using digital subtraction angiographic techniques for the definitive diagnosis.