Anyone out there with Renal Artery Stenosis?

I am 33 years old and have developed hypertension. Despite diet and lifestyle changes, my blood pressure keeps escalating. My doctor said it might be Renal Artery Stenosis and he wants to test me for this disease. I've been reading about it online, but would appreciate hearing from someone who has experienced or is experiencing this firsthand.

I have been on lisinopril for the past year.

It is possible that you have renal artery stenosis (RAS), but much more likely that you haven't. Basic iblood tests such as measuring plasma renin activity and aldosterone can support a diagnosis, but can neither confirm it or rule it out. The gold standard test is renal angiography (X rays of the renal arteries after receiving a contrast medium intravenously) or magnetic resonance angiography. The bottom line is that whether you have it or not is irrelevant unless your blood pressure cannot be controlled by medication, or if your kidney function is impaired.

Lisinopril is a perfectly good choice for RAS associated hypertension, and it it is also one of the first choices in the control of high blood pressure for other reasons (ie "essential" hypertension, which accounts for about 90% of all hypertension, and is most likely what you have.)

Hope this helps.