Patients with diseases or disorders that affect the blood vessels of the kidneys suffer from renovascular conditions. These conditions include either blockage of the veins or narrowing of the arteries of the kidneys, and over time can cause high blood pressure, or even renal failure. There are four major types of renovascular conditions. These are:
- Arterial nephrosclerosis (inflammation and cell death in renal arteries)
- Renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the artery supplying the kidney)
- Renal vein thrombosis (blood clot in vein that drains the kidney)
- Scleroderma renal disease (complication of skin disorder causing lesions to develop in arteries)
Symptoms
Even though a patient with a renal condition may not experience immediate symptoms, eventually one or more of the following conditions will develop:
- Blood in urine
- Fever
- High blood pressure
- Nausea/vomiting
- Pain in the abdomen, legs, or thighs (both sides)
Risk Factors for Renovascular Conditions
Most of the time, renovascular conditions develop when the artery walls begin to narrow, whether from a buildup of cholesterol or other types of fats. They can also develop because of other factors, such as high blood pressure, growth of fibrous tissue, tumors that block renal blood vessels, trauma to the area and – in younger patients – severe cases of dehydration.
Certain populations are at particular risk for developing renovascular conditions:
- Males over 60
- Obese individuals
- People who have experienced previous blood clots
- Smokers
- Those with a family member who has cardiovascular disease
- Those with high levels of blood cholesterol or other fat
Treating Renovascular Conditions
There are many different treatment options for patients with these conditions, and they are based on they type of symptoms or specific conditions. As a first mode of defense against progression of symptoms, doctors will recommend lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, exercise, and weight loss. Dietary changes should include foods that will reduce cholesterol. Other treatments range from low to high in terms of invasiveness, starting with anti-clotting or clot-dissolving medications and blood pressure medication to angioplasty or bypass surgery.
