Review Article Renal Denervation in Resistant Hypertension: An Emerging Novel Therapy

Resistant hypertension is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease in India and around the world.Improved and effective therapies are needed to address the large proportion of people with hypertension whose blood pressure (BP) remains uncontrolled by 3 or more antihypertensive medications. Catheter-based, radiofrequency (RF) renal denervation (RDN) is an emerging option to treat resistant hypertension. The kidneycontributes to increased sympathetic activity and development of hypertension. Ablating the nerves surrounding the renal artery, therefore, can decrease the BP level. RDN has been primarily investigated in resistant hypertension, and clinical studies have demonstrated it to be safe and effective. Use of RDN in clinical studies significantly lowered BP without causing any adverse effects in the cardiovascular or renal systems. Preliminary studies and analyses suggest that RDN may be a useful alternative in less severe resistant hypertension, as well as cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal disorders. Future RDN research is expected to extend the evidence for its possible use in resistant hypertension and other indications such as chronic kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and congestive heart failure. (J Clin Prev Cardiol. 2013;2(2):73:83