Heart and Vascular
Renal Artery Disease
Renal artery disease (renal artery stenosis) is when arteries that carry blood from your heart to your kidneys (renal arteries) narrow. Our vascular experts offer advanced treatments and compassionate care.
Medically reviewed by Misty Humphries, M.D. on March 18, 2026.
What Is Renal Artery Disease?
Renal artery disease (renal stenosis) occurs when one or both of two arteries carrying blood to your kidneys (renal arteries) become narrow. As a result, your kidneys get less blood flow and can’t easily filter waste and fluids. This can lead to high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
UC Davis Health heart and vascular specialists offer advanced tests and treatments to diagnose and manage renal artery disease. Our compassionate experts work with you to help reduce your risk of complications from this condition.
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Renal Artery Disease Symptoms
You may not have symptoms until renal artery stenosis becomes severe.
Common Symptoms
The most common symptom is high blood pressure, which often starts before age 30 or after age 50. This blood pressure often resists treatment, even if you take three or more medications. Other common symptoms of severe renal artery disease may include:
- Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
- Dry, darkened or itchy skin
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Headaches
- Less frequent or more frequent urination
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swelling in your feet, ankles or legs
- Whooshing noise (bruit) your doctor hears when listening to blood flow in your belly
Emergency Symptoms
Severe renal artery disease can sometimes lead to complications such as stroke. Call 911 or get help right away if you experience sudden:
- Confusion or trouble speaking
- Dizziness, loss of balance or trouble walking
- Headache with no known cause
- Vision problems in one or both eyes
- Weakness or numbness in your arm, leg or face, particularly on one side of your body
Renal Artery Disease Causes
Two conditions cause most renal artery disease.
Hardening of the Renal Arteries (Atherosclerosis)
A buildup of cholesterol, fat and other substances (plaque) can lead to the narrowing of arteries carrying blood to your kidneys. Atherosclerosis causes about 90% of renal artery stenosis cases.
Abnormal Cell Growth in Renal Artery Walls (Fibromuscular Dysplasia)
Fibromuscular dysplasia can narrow or block the artery walls leading from your heart to your kidneys. It is the second most common cause of renal artery stenosis and mainly occurs in females.
Risk Factors for Renal Artery Disease
The following factors may increase your risk of renal artery stenosis caused by atherosclerosis:
Diabetes
Having diabetes can raise your risk.
Family History of Early Heart Disease
Having family members with heart disease at a young age can increase your risk.
High Blood Pressure or High Cholesterol
Having uncontrolled high blood pressure or high cholesterol raises your risk.
Lack of Exercise
Not getting enough physical activity can raise your renal artery disease risk.
Obesity or Overweight
Being obese or overweight can raise your risk.
Older Age
Males older than age 45 and women older than age 55 are at higher risk of developing renal artery stenosis.
Poor Diet
A diet high in cholesterol, fat, sodium and sugar raises your risk.
Smoking
Smoking tobacco increases your risk of developing renal artery disease.
Renal Artery Disease Diagnosis and Testing
When we’re concerned you may have renal artery stenosis, we use advanced testing to confirm or rule out the diagnosis.
Listening to Your Abdomen
We place a stethoscope on the front of your abdomen to listen for a whooshing noise (bruit). Bruit can be a sign of blood flowing through a narrow artery.
Blood Tests
Blood tests can check your levels of creatinine, nitrogen and other substances that indicate kidney problems.
Urine Tests
These tests look at levels of protein in your urine, which may indicate kidney issues.
CT Angiography
An advanced X-ray with contrast dye produces detailed 3D pictures of your renal arteries.
Renal Artery Duplex Scanning
Renal artery duplex scanning uses sound waves to create images that show how blood is moving through your renal arteries.
MR Angiography
Magnetic fields and radio waves produce clear images of your renal arteries without using standard X-rays.
Renal Artery Angiography
This procedure uses a tiny tube (catheter) inserted into your renal arteries, along with contrast dye and X-rays, to produce highly detailed images.
Renal Artery Disease Treatments
Renal artery stenosis treatment depends on the amount of renal artery blockage you have. Treatment usually includes lifestyle changes and medications. We may use surgery to treat you for severe renal artery disease. Care may include:
Lifestyle Changes
We recommend you make healthy changes to your lifestyle to keep your blood vessels, including your renal arteries, healthy. These changes include regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, eating foods low in cholesterol, fat, salt and sodium and stopping smoking.
Medications
We may give you medications to control your blood pressure (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and/or beta-blockers), to lower your cholesterol (statins) and to remove excess water from your blood (diuretics). We may recommend aspirin to thin your blood, help it flow more easily or both.
Vascular Surgery
We may suggest vascular surgery if you have renal artery stenosis that isn’t getting better with medications or when fibromuscular dysplasia causes your condition.
One type of surgery is inserting a catheter with an inflatable balloon into your renal artery (angioplasty) along with a small mesh tube (stent) to keep the artery open (percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty and stenting).
Another type is removing plaque from the artery (endarterectomy) and creating an alternate pathway for blood to flow around the narrowed artery (bypass surgery).
Renal Artery Disease Prevention
You can lower your risk of renal artery stenosis by managing factors that can lead to atherosclerosis, the main cause of this condition. Preventing renal artery disease can help to avoid further complications such as high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet
Reducing your saturated fat and salt intake can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Exercise Consistently
Regular physical activity helps keep your blood pressure from increasing.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Keeping your weight under control can help to reduce your blood pressure.
Quit Smoking
Smoking tobacco can increase hardening of your arteries.
"Renal Artery Stenosis," National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/renal-artery-stenosis
How common is it?
1-5%Of people with high blood pressure have renal artery disease as the cause.
Who does it affect?
10-40%Of people with severe hypertension have renal artery disease.
Source: StatPearls: Renal Artery Stenosis
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