Two patients have received the new treatment at UI Hospitals and Clinics, the first on Oct. 5 and the second on Oct. 25.

A blockage in the kidney arteries, or atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis, is a treatable cause of high blood pressure and occurs in 1 to 5 percent of patients with high blood pressure. The disease affects up to 3 million Americans, primarily over the age of 50, and brings a high risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and death.

A special device called Angioguard may help reduce that risk of renal artery stenting. The Angioguard is a miniature filter that catches particles of plaque released during stent placement and removes them from the body. Researchers are studying renal artery stenting in the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL) study, a $28 million study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The study is recruiting more than 1,000 participants at 100 sites around the United States, including UI Hospitals and Clinics. UI Heart and Vascular Center cardiologists are the only heart specialists in Iowa participating in CORAL.

"Physicians have been trying to understand this disease for many years. Each treatment has positive and negative aspects. But as a whole, we don't know whether a stent or medication is better for the patient. This will be the definitive study for this disease," said James Rossen, M.D., principal investigator for the CORAL study at UI Heart and Vascular Center and UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine professor of internal medicine.

The first pair of patients to receive the new treatment at UI Hospitals and Clinics reported decreases in their blood pressure following the procedures.

During the study, participants will be randomized to one of two groups. They will receive medication alone to control blood pressure and other risk factors, or they will be treated with medication and placement of a stent in the blocked kidney artery. Participants will be followed for the duration of the six-year study to determine which treatment better reduces the rate of heart attacks, heart failure, strokes and kidney failure.

Historically, medication has been used to control high blood pressure and associated problems. With advances in technology, balloon angioplasty and stents--treatments used to open a blocked artery--have been used increasingly, without evidence that they reduce the risk of heart and kidney problems. The CORAL study will examine whether inserting a stent, or metal scaffold that props the artery open, will lead to better outcomes overall for patients.

To obtain information about the CORAL study, call UI Heart and Vascular Center at 319-356-3413.

For more information:

James Rossen, M.D.

Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL)

Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine