About Renal Artery Stenosis Treatment

According to MedlinePlus, renal artery stenosis is characterized as narrowing of the artery that carries blood to your kidneys. Most of the time, renal artery stenosis occurs as a result of plaque buildup within the arteries. Renal artery stenosis treatment options include changes in lifestyle, medications to control symptoms and several surgical procedures.

Lifestyle Changes

• As the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse explains, lifestyle changes can help treat renal artery stenosis by preventing the condition from getting worse. Patients should exercise regularly, work to achieve a healthy weight, stop smoking, and eat a wholesome and healthy diet. Adopting these changes will lead to numerous health benefits, including the promotion of clean and flexible arteries.

Blood Pressure Medication

• As MedlinePlus states, renal artery stenosis causes high blood pressure, so medications to lower your blood pressure will likely be a component of your renal artery stenosis treatments. As high blood pressure resulting from renal artery stenosis can be hard to control, your doctor may occasionally change the dosage and type of medication you're taking.

Other Drugs

• According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, your doctor may also recommend additional drugs to be used in conjunction with your blood pressure medicine. Common drugs include cholesterol-lowering drugs, designed to reduce further plaque buildup, and blood-thinners, which make it easier for blood to move through your constricted arteries.

Renal Artery Angioplasty

• According to Brigham and Women's Hospital, most cases of renal artery stenosis can be successfully treated with renal artery angioplasty. As the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse explains, a catheter with a small balloon at the end is inserted into the renal artery; when the balloon is inflated, it pushes the plaque against the wall of the artery. Your doctor may also insert a stent to ensure that the artery remains open.

Other Surgical Options

• As the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse explains, if angioplasty is not a viable treatment option for your renal artery stenosis, your doctor may recommend an endarterectomy, a procedure in which plaque is surgically removed from the renal artery. Alternatively, you may have to have bypass surgery: the surgeon creates a new path from the kidney to the aorta using a vein or synthetic tube. This eliminates the need for blood to move through the constricted renal artery.