Renal Denervation

Controlling hypertension can be challenging , especially if blood pressure remains elevated after trying lifestyle changes and taking multiple medications. For people with resistant hypertension, a condition where hypertension remains uncontrolled despite taking 3 or more medications, there is a new treatment available called renal denervation.

What is Renal Denervation?

Renal denervation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses energy to interrupt the signaling from sympathetic nerves around the renal arteries in the kidneys. These nerves help regulate blood pressure, but when they become overactive, they contribute to hypertension. Disrupting these nerves is proven to lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

Procedure

The procedure is typically performed as an outpatient procedure under sedation. A thin catheter is inserted into an artery in the groin or the wrist and guided to the renal arteries. The device connected to the catheter delivers energy that selectively disrupts the nerves around the arteries. The catheter is then removed. The procedure typically takes an hour, and patients usually go home the same day.

Benefits

• Can lower blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled/resistant hypertension
• May reduce the need for medications
• Non-invasive

Risks

As with other procedures, there is the possibility of temporary pain and discomfort, infection, and bleeding. There is also a possibility of damage to the renal artery, though thus far, this has been very rare.

Effectiveness

Studies have shown that renal denervation can effectively lower blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension. This enables many patients to either come closer to having their blood pressure controlled or to reduce the number of medication they need. Some patients are even able to stop taking blood pressure medication. However, the long-term effectiveness of the procedure is still being studied.

Who Should Consider Renal Denervation

• Adults with resistant or uncontrolled hypertension who have tried lifestyle modification and medications
• Patients who have not responded to other treatments for hypertension or who are unable to tolerate blood pressure medications due to allergies or side effects

Why You Should Consider the Columbia Hypertension Center?

Doctors at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have been at the forefront of developing and studying renal denervation in the United States. Our doctors already have years of experience delivering this therapy to our patients. We work closely with other doctors in the Columbia Hypertension Center to ensure that patients get the right evaluation before the procedure. We also make sure that patients continue to receive state-of-the-art care for their hypertension afterwards.

Learn more about Columbia’s role in this ground-breaking new approach to treating hypertension.