Renovascular hypertension is high blood pressure due to narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to the kidneys. It is a form of secondary hypertension.
See also:
Renal hypertension; Hypertension - renovascular
When the kidney arteries become narrow, less blood flows to the kidneys. The kidneys mistakenly respond as if your blood pressure is low and give off hormones that tell the body to retain salt and water. This causes your blood pressure to rise.
Many different diseases can cause narrowing of the renal arteries. Hardening of the arteries from high cholesterol is one of the most common. Most patients have the typical risk factors for atherosclerosis, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Fibromuscular dysplasia is another cause, particularly in women under age 50.
Usually, high blood pressure causes no symptoms. Occasionally you may have a mild headache. If your headache is severe, or if you have any of the symptoms below, see a doctor right away. These may be a sign of malignant hypertension.
Persons with renovascular hypertension usually have severe, difficult-to-control high blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure measurements, repeated over time, confirm hypertension.
Your doctor may hear a "whooshing" noise, or bruit, when placing a stethoscope over your belly area.
Other signs of this disease include:
There may be signs of complications, such as:
Your doctor may order blood tests to check your renin and aldosterone levels. Imaging tests may be done see if the kidney arteries have narrowed. They include:
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Reviewer Info: Parul Patel, MD, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology and Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, Department of Transplantation, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 04/14/2008 |