Ultrasound Renal Denervation Significantly Reduces Systolic BP

WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with hypertension, ultrasound renal denervation reduces ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the absence of antihypertensive medications, according to a study published in the Feb. 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Michel Azizi, M.D., Ph.D., from the Université Paris Cité, and colleagues conducted a sham-controlled, randomized trial involving patients aged 18 to 75 years with hypertension with an ambulatory SBP/diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 135/85 mm Hg or greater and an SBP/DBP less than 170/105 mm Hg after a four-week washout of their medications. A total of 150 patients were randomly assigned to ultrasound renal denervation and 74 patients were randomly assigned to a sham procedure. Unless prespecified BP criteria were exceeded and were associated with clinical symptoms, patients abstained from antihypertensive medications until the two-month follow-up.

The researchers found that the reduction in daytime ambulatory SBP at two months was greater with ultrasound renal denervation than the sham procedure (mean, −7.9 versus −1.8 mm Hg), with ultrasound renal denervation having a consistent effect throughout the 24-hour circadian cycle. Six of seven secondary outcomes were significantly improved with ultrasound renal denervation versus the sham procedure. Neither group had reports of major adverse events.

"One further potential benefit of ultrasound renal denervation could be a reduction in the consequences of the variable timing of medication intake, forgetfulness of medication intake, and nonadherence to oral antihypertensive treatments, which are all frequently observed in patients with hypertension," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical and medical device companies, including ReCor Medical, which funded the study.

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