What are the two main causes of renal artery stenosis?
The two important causes of renal artery stenosis are atherosclerosis and fibromuscular dysplasia.
Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is the more common cause and is often seen in older patients. It occurs in the setting of atherosclerotic disease affecting other vascular beds, such as the coronary, cerebral, and peripheral arterial circulation.
These patients often have other risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as diabetes, hypertension, and smoking. In contrast, fibromuscular dysplasia is typically seen in younger female patients.