Critical renal artery stenoses may cause a spectrum of cardiorenal failure and associated thromboembolic events.

A wide spectrum of acute or chronic heart failure and thromboembolic events may be causally related to high-grade uni- or bilateral renovascular hypertensive disease, and the variety of these potential interactions may be unrecognized in clinical practice. We present three cases that illustrate the clinical variability of cardiorenal failure and thromboembolic events seen in patients with significant renal artery stenoses. These are high-risk patients where severe morbidity and mortality are threatening. Our patients also demonstrate that the diagnosis often is delayed, and that recanalizing of occluded renal arteries may be highly cost-effective and life-saving in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]