[Renovascular arterial hypertension: current aspects of physiopathology, diagnosis and treatment].

Renovascular hypertension is a potentially curable, secondary form of hypertension. It is caused by renal ischemic disease, which remains a significant clinical problem because of the increasing incidence of atherosclerosis with aging of the overall population. The role of the reinin-angiotensin system in renovascular hypertension has been consolidated by the discovery of angiotensin II receptor subtypes, various tissue renin-angiotensin systems and the function of angiotensin II as a vascular growth factor. To date renal vein renin estimation and converting enzyme renography seem to be the most reliable investigations to demonstrate the hypertensive role of a kidney before revascularization. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is a successful treatment in selected forms of renal artery stenosis. Open surgery consists of either bypass procedure or renal autotransplantation with extracorporeal reconstruction of the renal vasculature in cases of aneurysms or segmental renal artery stenoses. Control of hypertension and, increasingly important, preservation of renal function can be safely and successfully achieved, on the basis of careful diagnosis and individual selection of the therapeutic procedure are performed.