Revascularization as a treatment to improve renal function

Understanding and managing atherosclerotic renovascular disease: still a work in progress

Atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD) is an unresolved therapeutic dilemma despite extensive pre-clinical and clinical studies. The pathophysiology of the disease has been widely studied, and many factors that may be involved in progressive renal injury and cardiovascular risk associated with ARVD have been identified. However, therapies and clinical trials have focused largely on attempts to resolve renal artery stenosis without considering the potential need to treat the renal parenchyma beyond the obstruction. The results of these trials show a staggering consistence: although nearly 100% of the patients undergoing renal angioplasty show a resolution of the vascular obstruction, they do not achieve significant improvements in renal function or blood pressure control compared with those patients receiving medical treatment alone. It seems that we may need to take a step back and reconsider the pathophysiology of the disease in order to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. This mini-review discusses potential therapeutic alternatives that focus on the renal parenchyma distal to the vascular obstruction and may provide additional tools to enhance current treatment of ARVD.

Endovascular versus medical therapy for atherosclerotic renovascular disease

The diagnosis of renal artery stenosis (RAS) has become increasingly common in part due to greater awareness of ischemic renal disease and increased use of diagnostic techniques. Over 90 % of RAS cases are caused by atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD). Patients with ARVD are at high risk for fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular and renal events. The mortality rate in patients with ARVD is high, especially with other cardiovascular or renal comorbidities. Recent clinical studies have provided substantial evidence concerning medical therapy and endovascular interventional therapeutic approaches for ARVD. Despite previous randomized clinical trials, the optimal therapy for ARVD remained uncertain until the results of the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL) trial were released recently. CORAL demonstrated that optimal medical therapy was equally effective to endovascular therapy in the treatment of ARVD. Clinicians can now practice with more evidence-based medicine to treat ARVD and potentially decrease mortality in patients with ARVD using optimal medical therapy.