Renal denervation: a potential new treatment for severe hypertension

Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Drug-resistant hypertension remains common despite the availability of several classes of effective antihypertensive agents. Sympathetic hyperactivity has long been recognized as a major contributor to resistant hypertension, but radical sympathectomy was abandoned several decades ago due to its significant side effects. The newly developed, minimally invasive, catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation procedure has been shown in recent trials to produce impressive blood pressure reductions and a favorable safety profile in drug-resistant hypertension. Although the long-term efficacy and safety of renal denervation remains to be determined, emerging data suggest that the benefits of renal denervation may extend beyond blood pressure control.