Quick answer
Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing of the arteries that feed your kidneys, one or both. It shows up most often in older adults with hardened arteries, and over time it can push your blood pressure up and damage the kidneys. Often there are no symptoms. The clue is usually blood pressure that will not come down on medication and lifestyle changes. Fluid retention can follow, and in severe cases kidney failure brings weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath.
Renal artery stenosis, also known as renal artery disease is a narrowing of arteries that carry blood to one or both of the kidneys.
Who is at risk for renal artery stenosis?
Most often seen in older people with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), renal artery stenosis can worsen over time and often leads to hypertension (high blood pressure) and kidney damage. Other risks include diabetes, a family history of coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease or renal artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, neurofibromatosis (a genetic disorder that disrupts cell growth in your nervous system) and smoking.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of renal artery stenosis can include high blood pressure that can’t be controlled by medications and lifestyle changes. Other symptoms can include fluid retention or congestive heart failure. In severe cases, renal artery disease can lead to kidney failure, which may cause weakness, shortness of breath and fatigue. In some cases, renal artery disease doesn’t cause any symptoms.
