Background: The prevalence of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis in patients with hypertension, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and coronary artery disease is well defined in the literature but the prevalence of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis in patients with recurrent pulmonary edema is unknown.

Objectives: This study discusses, in detail, the characteristics of patients with recurrent pulmonary edema at risk of renal artery stenosis (RAS).

Materials and methods: Patients presenting with recurrent pulmonary edema underwent selective coronary and renal angiography.

Results: Sixty consecutive patients were included in this study. A total of 29/60 (48.3%) patients had renal artery stenosis
50% and 10/60 (16.7%) had severe stenosis (
70%) in at least one renal artery. Severe bilateral stenosis (70–99% in both renal arteries) was detected in 3/60 patients (5%) and total occlusion of the renal artery was detected in 1/60 (1.7%). Analysis of the results of renal function tests showed that of the 10 patients with severe renal artery stenosis, 5 (50%) had blood urea nitrogen (BUN)518 mg/dl and 4 (40%) had serum creatinine51.2 mg/dl.

Conclusions: Prevalence of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis in this approach was 48.3% in patients with acute pulmonary edema which is obviously higher than that previously observed in hypertension, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and coronary artery disease.