The most common cause of renal artery stenosis is atherosclerosis, the same condition that causes narrowing of the arteries in coronary heart disease and stroke, and the risk factors are the same as well. Cholesterol plaques build up along the walls of the renal artery and gradually cause narrowing.
Oxytocin is a commonly used uterotonic that can cause significant and even fatal hypotension, particularly when given as a bolus. The resulting hypotension can be produced by a decrease in systemic vascular resistance or cardiac output through a decrease in venous return.
Other medications such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and anesthetic agents can markedly increase these serious cardiac side effects while vasoconstrictors may enhance gangrene development. Reports of phenytoin use with Dopamine have resulted in hypotension (low blood pressure) in some patients.