Renal Artery Stenosis - What Are Its Common Causes?

While advancing age cannot be changed, there are definitely other risk factors which can be controlled. Smoking, for instance. It puts one at risk for hypertension and atherosclerosis also, which in turn leads to renal artery stenosis. Further, if you have a family history of atherosclerosis and/or kidney disease, you will likely be affected. So, it is important to manage these risk factors. Avoiding smoking is a big change which can reduce your risk for multiple health conditions, so go ahead and quit smoking.

While advancing age cannot be changed, there are other things which can help keep renal artery stenosis at bay. Quitting smoking, eating a natural diet, and regular physical exercise for instance. Also, people who are at a risk of developing RAS, periodic monitoring is also essential. Diet rich in oil further increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis, so keep your diet natural which is rich in fibre.

RAS is never easily identified as there are no specific symptoms it presents with. In most people, it gets detected when some other disease is being investigated. Therefore, people with hypertension and atherosclerosis should watch out for renal artery stenosis. A sudden increase in blood pressure which does not get controlled should be an indication to look for RAS. When you see that your blood pressure remains high even after you take your medicines regularly, you should get it checked by the doctor.

While it is true that RAS cannot be totally avoided, it can definitely be prevented, and the onset of RAS delayed. People with atherosclerosis, hypertension, and family history of kidney disease should adapt an altered lifestyle from an early age. This includes eating a fibre-rich diet, reducing processed foods, and avoiding fats. Adequate fluid and electrolyte intake are essential for maintaining optimal kidney function. Including physical activities into daily regimen is equally important. Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake are also equally effective measures. Renal artery stenosis can result even with gradual ageing, where the arteries lose their elasticity, but the onset of RAS can definitely be prevented with conscious effort.