Patient description: An 82-year-old woman comes to the emergency department because of chest pain and shortness of breath after being awakened in the morning by stabbing substernal chest pain radiating to the left shoulder and jaw. The patient had hypertension, renal-artery stenosis with chronic renal insufficiency, hypercholesterolemia, osteoporosis and dementia. Blood pressure was 199/108 mm Hg, respiratory rate 18 bpm, oxygen saturation 98% on ambient air. The heart sounds were rapid and with no murmurs. CK-MB was 10.9 ng/ml, CK was 89 U/l, CK index was 12.2% and Troponin T was 0.40 ng/ml. An EKG showed sinus regular tachycardia of 119 bpm, with ST-segment elevations up to 3 mm in V1, V2, and V3. A chest radiograph showed low lung volumes and right basilar subsegmental atelectasis. Coronary angiography showed no stenosis or clinically significant disease. Left ventriculography revealed akinesis of the anterior wall, hypokinesis of the apical and distal inferior walls, and compensatory hyperkinesis of the basal anterior and basal inferior walls. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed severe segmental left ventricular dysfunction involving the septum, anteroseptal territory, and apex. The overall left ventricular systolic function was mildly impaired and there was mild mitral regurgitation.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-999.0,  Atherosclerosis Cardiovascular Diseases Hypertension, Renovascular Renal Artery Obstruction Either Documented history of hypertension on two or more anti-hypertensive medications OR Renal dysfunction, defined as Stage 3 or greater chronic kidney disease (CKD) based on the new National Kidney Foundation (NKF) classifications (estimated glomerular filtration rate [GFR] less than 60 mL per minute per 1.73 m^2, calculated by the modified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease [MDRD] formula) One or more severe renal artery stenoses by any of the following pathways a. Angiographic: greater than or equal to 60% and less than 100% by renal angiogram OR b. Duplex: systolic velocity of greater than 300 cm/sec OR c. Core Lab approved Magnetic Resonance Angiogram (MRA) (refer to the protocol for specific criteria) demonstrating stenosis greater than 80% OR stenosis greater than 70% with spin dephasing on 3D phase contrast MRA OR stenosis greater than 70% and two of the following: i. Ischemic kidney is greater than 1 cm. smaller than contralateral kidney ii. Ischemic kidney enhances less on arterial phase iii. Ischemic kidney has delayed Gd excretion iv. Ischemic kidney hyper-concentrates the urine v. 2-D phase contrast flow waveform shows delayed systolic peak vi. Post-stenotic dilatation d. Clinical index of suspicion combined with a Core Lab approved Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) demonstrating Stenosis is greater than 80% by visual assessment on high quality CTA Stenosis is greater than 70% on CTA by visual assessment and there are two of the following i. The length of the ischemic kidney is greater than 1 cm. smaller than contralateral kidney ii. Reduced cortical thickness of ischemic kidney iii. Less cortical enhancement of ischemic kidney on arterial phase iv. Post-stenotic dilatation  Unable to provide informed consent Unable or willing to comply with study protocol or procedures Must be greater than 18 years of age Fibromuscular dysplasia or other non-atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis known to be present prior to randomization Pregnancy or unknown pregnancy status in female of childbearing potential Participation in any drug or device trial during the study period, unless approved by the Steering Committee Prior enrollment in the CORAL study History of stroke within 6 months, if associated with a residual neurologic deficit* Any major surgery, major trauma, revascularization procedure, unstable angina, or myocardial infarction 30 days prior to study entry* Any planned major surgery or revascularization procedure, outside of the randomly allocated renal stenting indicated by the protocol, after randomization*