Abstract
Purpose of Review
This review was undertaken to update readers on the field of therapeutic renal denervation for hypertension during the 2016 through 2018 period.
Recent Findings
After the failure of Symplicity HTN-3 to meet its top line objective, intense scrutiny revealed several possible concerns addressed by the newer investigations into the area of renal denervation. These included better device technology, more intense subject monitoring for off-protocol antihypertensive drug usage, and deeper penetration into the renal vasculature by the interventionist.
Summary
Whether untreated by medication for hypertension or on antihypertensive medication, renal denervation shows a clear, though moderate, blood pressure reduction. The failure of roughly one out of three patients with hypertension to respond to denervation procedures argues that there is room for improvement in choosing the optimal patient for this approach to hypertension management.
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References
Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance
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•• Pappaccogli, M., et al., Effectiveness of renal denervation in resistant hypertension: a meta-analysis of 11 controlled studies. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-018-0260-5. Accessed 11 May 2018. This analysis was published before more recent studies. It basically finds little benefit in RDN as done in the period up to about 2016 .
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Dr. Townsend reports personal fees from Medtronic and Rox Medical, outside the submitted work. Dr. Sobotka is Executive Consultant to Rox Medical.
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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.
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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hypertension and the Kidney
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Townsend, R.R., Sobotka, P.A. Catheter-Based Renal Denervation for Hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep 20, 93 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-018-0896-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-018-0896-5