Table 3 Study inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria:

   • age 55 and older.

   • systolic blood pressure > 140 mmHg and/or diastolic > 90 mmHg despite at least 3 antihypertensive medications.

   • systolic blood pressure > 140 mmHg and/or diastolic > 90 mmHg on two antihypertensives with; a rise in creatinine > 20% after initiation of an ACEi or ARB

   • the sudden onset of hypertension occurring after age 55

   • hypokalemia

   • the presence of an abdominal bruit

   • history of flash pulmonary edema,

   • three of; Peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, smoking, hyperlipidemia, diabetes or male gender.

Exclusion Criteria:

   • serum creatinine > 220 umol/L or estimated GFR by Cockroft Gault equation < 20 ml/min.

   • patients who are unwilling or unable to give informed consent.

   • Known contraindication to renal revascularization such as anaphylactic allergy to contrast dye

   • an abdominal aortic aneurysm requiring surgery

   • a single functioning kidney

   • a total occlusion of the renal artery

   • renal artery stenosis due to fibromuscular dysplasia

   • previous revascularization.