BLOOD PRESSURE PROCEDURE
Understanding high blood pressure
High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a very common health issue around the world that often has no symptoms but raises serious health risks.1
What is high blood pressure?
Blood pressure measures how strongly the blood pushes against the arteries. It is considered “high” if it measures 140/90 mmHg or more on two different days.1
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of high blood pressure (if they occur) can be mild or severe, including headaches, nosebleeds, and shortness of breath.1 Symptoms of severe high blood pressure include severe chest pain, severe headache with confusion and blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, severe anxiety, and seizures.1
Who does high blood pressure affect?
High blood pressure is very common,1 affecting men and women, young and old, people who are fit, people with other health problems, and many others.
1.3 billion
people are affected worldwide.1
The risks of high blood pressure.
In people who have high blood pressure, the heart works harder, which can raise the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and kidney failure.2,3 These risks can be very serious — especially if high blood pressure is left untreated.
How does the body control blood pressure?
The heart and blood vessels are involved in blood pressure control, as well as the kidneys.4,5 In some people, the nerves connected to the kidneys become excessively active and interrupt the natural process of control, leading to higher blood pressure.5
A procedural option for blood pressure control
Treatment of high blood pressure, or hypertension, has traditionally been through lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, and medications.
There is also another, complementary approach - a blood pressure procedure called renal denervation (RDN).
The renal denervation blood pressure procedure is an evidence-based, minimally invasive procedure that may be indicated for patients with uncontrolled hypertension.6 Designed to be used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications and medications, it has been shown to help reduce blood pressure.7-9,10 For some patients, it may also allowthe number or dosage of blood pressure medications to be reduced.10-12
Always follow the instructions specified by your doctor or the nursing staff. Always follow the discharge instructions provided by your physician after your procedure.
References
1
World Health Organisation. Hypertension fact sheet. 2022. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension. (Accessed February 4 2022).
2
Whelton P, Carey R, Aranow W, et al. 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Originally published 13 Nov 2017 https://doi.org/10.1161/HYP.0000000000000065. . Hypertension 2018; 71: e13-e115.
3
Mayo Clinic. High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension's effects on your body. 2024. Available at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045868 (Accessed 19 March 2024 2024).
4
American Heart Association. What is High Blood Pressure? https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure/what-is-high-blood-pressure. Accessed 23 July 2024
5
Sata Y, Head GA, Denton K, et al. Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System and its Modulation in Renal Hypertension. Frontiers in Medicine 2018; 5: 1-10.
6
Mancia R, Kreutz R, Brunstrom M, et al. European Society of Hypertension 2023 Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. Journal of Hypertension 2023, 41:1874–2071
7
Böhm M, Kario K, Kandzari DE, et al. Efficacy of catheter-based renal denervation in the absence of antihypertensive medications (SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED Pivotal): a multicentre, randomized, sham-controlled trial. The Lancet 2020: Published online March 29, 2020.
8
Kandzari DE, Böhm M, Mahfoud F, et al. Effect of renal denervation on blood pressure in the presence of antihypertensive drugs: 6-month efficacy and safety results from the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED proof-of-concept randomised trial. The Lancet 2018; Jun 9;391(10137): 2346-55.
9
Townsend RR, Mahfoud F, Kandzari DE, et al. Catheter-based renal denervation in patients with uncontrolled hypertension in the absence of antihypertensive medications (SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED): a randomised, sham-controlled, proof-of-concept trial. The Lancet 2017; 390: 2160–70
10
Mahfoud F, Kandzari DE, Kario K, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of renal denervation in the presence of antihypertensive drugs (SPYRAL HTN-ON MED): a randomised, sham-controlled trial. The Lancet 2022; 399(10234): 1401-10.
11
Schlaich M, Mahfoud F, Williams B, et al. Long-term safety and efficacy of renal denervation with the Symplicity Spyral catheter in the Global SYMPLICITY Registry. Kidney Week 2021.
12
Bhatt DL, Vaduganathan M, Kandzari DE, et al. Long-term outcomes after catheter-based renal artery denervation for resistant hypertension: final follow-up of the randomised SYMPLICITY HTN-3 Trial. The Lancet. Published online September 2022:S0140673622017871. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01787-1