Can patients with significant renal artery stenosis who underwent renal angioplasty be monitored postprocedure in the general ward instead of the high dependency unit

Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is a common, correctable cause of hypertension and renal impairment. In the general hypertensive population, the prevalence varies between 1% and 5% (1,2). This figure rises to between 10% and 45% in patients with acute, severe or refractory hypertension (3). The most common causes of RAS are atherosclerosis (90%) and fibromuscular dysplasia (8% to 9%) (2). Treatment options for significant RAS are angioplasty, angioplasty with stenting, and bypass surgery. Angioplasty with stenting is the preferred method of treatment for atherosclerotic RAS (1–3). At the Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Singapore, RAS patients with stenting are admitted to the high dependency unit (HDU) for close monitoring postangio-plasty for 24 h.