Renal artery stenosis: clinical and therapeutic implications.

Renal artery stenosis is a common cause of secondary hypertension with a rising incidence due to systemic atherosclerosis in an aging population. Patients with renovascular disease complicated by refractory hypertension, acute pulmonary edema, or progressive renal dysfunction benefit from aggressive medical therapy and may be considered for renal revascularization. Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) accounts for the majority of patients with renal artery stenosis (RAS); however, the subset of patients with fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and hypertension represents a unique group that benefits from renal artery revascularization.