[Surgical and medical treatment of renovascular hypertension (author's transl)].

We have studied a group of 47 patients with unilateral or bilateral renal artery stenosis; 27 of them have been operated, while 20 have been subjected to medical treatment. Among the surgically treated patients, 18 out of the 22 cases with an unilateral stenosis had satisfactory results and didn't assume any treatment after surgical cure. All the 5 cases of bilateral stenosis presented a regular blood pressure after surgery. Nine among the 12 patients affected by unilateral stenosis and 3 among the 8 patients presenting bilateral forms who received medical treatment had successful results with the conventional therapy. The parameters that seems give a better prognostic indication for the surgical cure are either significant renal veins renin ratios (Ra/Rc and Rc/P), either high peripheral PRA values combined with a renal artery stenosis greater than or equal to 70%, in all the cases without evident damages in the opposite kidney, even if the renin ratios are not significant. The results of the medical treatment may be predicted from the entity of the renal stenosis. Failures are more likely to occur in the bilateral forms. In these cases the most satisfactory results can be obtained using minoxidil or the inhibitor of the converting enzyme of angiotensin I.