Toshihiko Kondo

Essential hypertension and multiple renal arteries

Abstract Two hundred forty-three consecutive renal arteriograms were studied. Thirty-seven of 110 cases of essential hypertension (31 per cent) and 9 of 41 normotensive cases (22 per cent) revealed multiple renal arteries, showing that there is no significant difference in the incidence of multiple renal arteries between the two groups. Renal function study by intravenous pyelography, renogram, and angiography showed no difference between essential hypertension with multiple renal arteries and that with single renal artery. Plasma renin activity in peripheral and renal venous blood also showed neither increase nor difference in both kidneys, suggesting no significant ischemic changes in the kidney with multiple renal arteries. The general cause of hypertension observed in multiple renal arteries also cannot be related to renal anomaly or dysplasia itself. We conclude that multiple renal arteries are not an etiological factor in essential hypertension.