kidney and urinary tract disorders
Blockage of the Renal Arteries
Symptoms of Blocked Renal Arteries
A partial blockage of the renal arteries usually does not cause any symptoms. If blockage is sudden and complete, the person may have a steady aching pain in the lower back or occasionally in the lower abdomen. A complete blockage may cause fever, nausea, vomiting, and back pain. Rarely, a blockage causes bleeding that turns the urine red or dark brown. Complete blockage of both renal arteries—or of one renal artery in people who have only one kidney—completely stops urine production and shuts down the kidneys (a condition called Acute Kidney Injury ). If a blockage is the result of a clot that has moved to and lodged in one of the renal artery branches, the person may have clots elsewhere in the body, such as in the intestine, brain, and the skin of the fingers and toes. These clots may cause pain in these areas as well as small ulcers or gangrene or a small stroke. When the blockage develops slowly, symptoms also develop more slowly. The person may develop high blood pressure that is difficult to control despite optimal treatment. Various symptoms of chronic kidney disease may also appear, beginning with fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, itching, and difficulty concentrating. The symptoms reflect disturbances in the muscles, brain, nerves, heart, digestive tract, and skin. 