What is renal artery stenosis?

Renal artery stenosis is the narrowing of one or both of the renal arteries. These vessels supply blood to your kidneys. It is most often caused by a buildup of fatty deposits called plaque in either or both renal arteries.

It doesn't cause symptoms. But if it gets worse, it may cause high blood pressure. Or it may affect how well your kidneys work. Then you may have symptoms of kidney disease, such as shortness of breath or fluid buildup that causes swelling in your legs and feet.

Treatment may include taking medicine, following a heart-healthy lifestyle, and not smoking. Certain people may have an angioplasty or surgery to improve blood flow to the kidneys.

Renal artery stenosis itself doesn't cause symptoms. But if it gets worse, it may cause high blood pressure. Or it may affect how well your kidneys work. Then you may have symptoms of kidney disease, such as shortness of breath or fluid buildup that causes swelling in your legs and feet.

Several things may make your doctor think that you have renal artery stenosis. These include blood tests that show that your kidneys don't work as well as they should. Or maybe you were diagnosed with high blood pressure at an early age. Or maybe medicine doesn't lower your blood pressure.

You may take medicines to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and the risk of blood clots. You can also follow a heart-healthy lifestyle. Eating heart-healthy foods, being active, and not smoking can help keep the renal and other arteries in your body healthy.

Certain people may have an angioplasty or surgery to improve blood flow to the kidneys. This treatment is not commonly done.

When you have renal artery stenosis, you may have the same narrowing in other arteries in your body, like the coronary arteries of your heart. This narrowing can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Treatment for renal artery stenosis helps reduce damage to the kidneys and also helps reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Your doctor will do a physical exam. Lab tests will be done, and the doctor will ask about your and your family's past health.

You may have a test that lets your doctor look at a picture of your kidneys and renal arteries. Tests that can do this include:

Duplex Doppler ultrasound.

This test uses sound waves to show how blood flows through a blood vessel.

Computed tomography (CT) angiogram.

It uses X-rays to make pictures of the renal arteries.

Magnetic resonance angiogram.

It uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of the renal arteries.

A catheter angiogram of the kidney.

It uses X-rays to make pictures of the blood flow in a blood vessel, such as the renal arteries.

Caring for yourself when you have renal artery stenosis means doing things that will help slow or prevent it from getting worse.

Taking medicines and having a heart-healthy lifestyle can help keep the renal and other arteries in your body healthy. Taking these steps can also help lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.

• If you smoke, try to quit. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good. Avoid secondhand smoke too.
• Eat heart-healthy foods. These foods include vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, lean meat, fish, and whole grains. You limit foods that aren't so good for your heart, like sodium (salt), alcohol, and sugar.
• Be active. Work with your doctor to design an exercise program that's right for you.
• Stay at a weight that's healthy for you. Talk to your doctor if you need help losing weight.
• Manage other health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. You can use heart-healthy lifestyle changes along with medicines to manage these conditions.
• Get vaccinated against COVID-19, the flu, and pneumonia.

If you have chronic kidney disease, follow a diet that's easy on your kidneys. A dietitian can help you make an eating plan with the right amounts of salt and protein. You may also need to watch how much fluid you drink each day.

Renal artery stenosis is the narrowing of one or both of the renal arteries. These vessels supply blood to your kidneys. They also help the body control blood pressure.

The most common cause of renal artery stenosis is a buildup of fatty deposits called plaque in either or both renal arteries. This is often called "hardening of the arteries," or atherosclerosis. The buildup can narrow the artery and reduce blood flow to the kidneys.