Blood pressure As chronic hypertension is commonly the result of a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system, the Ardian Symplicity [sic] System works on damaging certain renal nerves (near your kidneys) by using radio frequency (RF) radiation. This causes key arteries to relax and reduces the body’s hyperactivity overall. During the procedure, a surgeon inserts a catheter into the artery in the upper thigh, threading it all the way to the renal artery. Once there, the device delivers RF energy and deactivates the surrounding renal nerves. It is a one-time procedure with permanent effects.
For the study, published in The Lancet, a group of 106 patients, all of whom had uncontrolled high blood pressure, were put into a control group or the randomised treatment group. Despite taking five anti-hypertension medications on a daily basis, all the study participants had high blood pressure. The randomised group with 178/97mmHg and the control group at 178/98mmHg. The randomised group then had the device put in. When the researchers assessed their blood pressure levels after six months, they found that those study participants’ systolic blood pressure was reduced by 33mmHg more than the control group.
Each 20/10mmHg increase in blood pressure above normal levels is associated with twice the likelihood of cardiovascular-related death over a 10-year period, making this new system a potentially effective method to prevent heart attack or stroke related to hypertension. The study also found that the system was safe and there were no serious procedure-related health events or complications.
First published November 22, 2010