[Renovascular hypertension and abdominal bruit in a case: has its interpretation modified technology?]

A lateral abdominal bruit is considered an important finding for the detection of renovascular hypertension. However, the precision and accuracy of new techniques such as angiography, Doppler ultrasound and studies with radioisotopes have changed its value and clinical interpretation. We report a 75 years old woman with a bilateral renal artery stenosis in whom a bruit was heard over the artery that did not contribute to the genesis of hypertension and the significant arterial stenosis causing hypertension was silent. This particular situation could lead to erroneous clinical decisions.