Renal Vascular Disease Center

What is renal vascular disease?

Renal vascular disease is the name given to a variety of complications that affect the arteries and veins of the kidneys. These complications affect the blood circulation of the kidneys. They may cause damage to the tissues of the kidneys, kidney failure, and/or high blood pressure.

Vascular conditions affecting the renal arteries and veins include the following:

• Renal artery stenosis - is a blockage of an artery to the kidneys. It may cause kidney failure and hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Renal artery thrombosis - is the formation of a clot in a renal artery. A thrombosis of a renal artery may cause kidney failure because of blocked blood flow to the kidney
• Renal artery aneurysm - is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of an artery to the kidney. Most of these aneurysms are small (less than 2 centimeters, or about three-quarters of an inch) and without symptoms. Renal artery aneurysms are uncommon. They are generally discovered during diagnostic procedures performed in relation to other conditions
• Atheroembolic renal disease - occurs when a piece of plaque from the aorta and/or other large arteries breaks off and travels through the bloodstream, blocking small arteries such as the renal arteries. Atheroembolic renal disease is becoming a common cause of renal insufficiency (poor kidney function) in the elderly
• Renal vein thrombosis - is the formation of a clot in a vein to the kidney

Renal vascular disease is often associated with hypertension (high blood pressure). Hormones which influence blood pressure are affected by kidney function. Decreased blood flow to the kidney(s) as a result of renal vascular disease may cause an excessive amount of renin to be produced. Renin is a powerful hormone that increases blood pressure.