Endovascular renal denervation for the treatment of hypertension

Endovascular renal denervation (RDN) is a catheter-based, procedural therapy for the treatment of hypertension that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2023. Early studies suggest that endovascular RDN reduces blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension. However, BP response to RDN is highly variable, optimal patient selection remains uncertain, and the procedure's high cost remains a significant challenge. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively examine the literature regarding the mechanism by which endovascular RDN reduces BP and the safety and effectiveness of RDN, and to discuss key considerations for selecting appropriate patients for endovascular RDN. Relevant studies in the field were identified from PubMed using search terms including 'renal denervation' and 'renal denervation for hypertension.' In conclusion, clinical trials have demonstrated a statistically significant BP-lowering effect of endovascular RDN, which based on multiple trials with long-term follow-up, appears to persist over several years with low complication rates. More research is needed to understand which patients benefit most from endovascular RDN and to evaluate the long-term outcomes, including the impact of endovascular RDN on cardiovascular events.