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Renovascular hypertension

Definition:

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 .

Alternative Names:

Renal hypertension; Hypertension - renovascular

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

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. Renal artery stenosis is one of the most common.

References:

Taylor AT Jr, Blaufox MD, Dubovsky EV, et al. Procedure guideline for diagnosis of renovascular hypertension, 3.0. Reston, Va: Society of Nuclear Medicine; 2003 Jun 20.

Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7). Rockville, Md. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US Department of Health and Human Services; August 2004. National Institutes of Health Publication No. 04-5230.

Berg AO. Screening for High Blood Pressure Recommendations and Rationale U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. USPSTF Guide to Clin Preventive Services . June 1, 2003; 1.

Hypertensive kidney

Review Date: 5/15/2007
Reviewed By: Robert Mushnick, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Nephrology, SUNY Downstate Health Center, Brooklyn, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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