Heart Disease
Can Start In Unexpected Places
Heart disease resulting from blocked arteries may not be originating
in the heart at all.
According to
Joseph Pensabene, MD, a cardiologist at the OSF Saint Anthony Regional
Heart Institute, arteries in
the kidney maybe to
blame. The kidneys are responsible for removing wastes from the
body, stimulating
red blood cell production and regulating blood pressure.
"When we
treat patients suffering from heart disease due to blockages, we
are
always suspicious that problems are occurring in arteries
outside of the heart,” he said. “Many times, we find that the arteries
in the kidney, known as the renal arteries, are the source of
the blockage. These patients experience elevated blood pressure, which is known
as
secondary high blood pressure."
An estimated
2.5 million Americans suffer from secondary hypertension. In younger
people,
secondary hypertension is often the result
of a thickening of the muscular wall of the arteries going
to the
kidney. In older adults, the narrowing generally is due to
hard, fat-containing
plaque blocking the renal artery.
In either case,
the narrowed renal artery slows the circulation of blood to the
affected kidney.
This stimulates the kidney
to produce
hormones that increase stiffness in the peripheral arteries
throughout the body that results in high blood pressure.
Screening
for renal artery narrowing may include isotope (radioactive)
imaging, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance
imaging tests. These
tests will determine whether the blood flow to the kidney
is restricted and what treatment is likely to be beneficial.
While traditional
surgical methods such as renal artery bypass may still be used
to treat this condition, a newer,
less
invasive procedure—called
renal artery stenting—is now a common treatment
at the Regional Heart Institute.
In this
procedure, a tiny, balloon-tipped catheter is threaded through
a small incision in the groin to
the
site of the
renal arterial narrowing.
The balloon is expanded to enlarge the artery and
a
stent—a
small wire mesh tube —is put in place to hold
the expansion and minimize recurrences of blockages," Pensabene
said.
Renal artery
stenting usually results in an improved blood flow to the kidneys
and lower blood pressure. Additionally,
it preserves
the function of the kidney that was deprived of its
normal blood supply.
"Thanks to
this innovative procedure, many patients who might have ended up
on
dialysis are
leading happy and healthy
lives
with their arteries open and their blood pressure under control,” Pensabene
said.
For more information
on renal artery stenting, call the OSF Saint Anthony Regional Heart
Institute at
395-5493.
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