Patient stories

Lisa and her husband, Scott, enjoy traveling whether it’s cruises, flights, or time on the water. During a hospital visit with her father, Lisa learned that her own blood pressure was elevated. Over time, she began noticing occasional spikes, which made her more cautious, especially while traveling. She started bringing her home blood pressure monitor along for peace of mind.

She tried to manage her blood pressure through medication, regular exercise like Pilates and walking, and by making healthy choices, like avoiding soda and junk food. But despite her efforts, she still faced challenges. One day, Lisa came across a news report on social media about the Medtronic Symplicity™ blood pressure procedure. It caught her attention as a potential option for people like her who hadn’t seen the results they hoped for with standard treatments.

Lisa spoke with her primary care doctor, Dr. Mattison, who thought the procedure could be a reasonable next step for her to consider. He referred her to Dr. Bock, an interventional cardiologist. After learning more and talking through the details, Lisa and Dr. Bock decided it might be a good fit for her.

On the day of the procedure, Lisa felt calm and supported by her care team. She found the experience to be straightforward and was back to her normal routine within a few days.

At her six-week follow-up, Lisa’s blood pressure had already started to improve. By six months, her numbers were in the normal range. While she still takes medication to help manage it, knowing her blood pressure is under control has helped her feel more confident and less anxious.^†,‡

Today, Lisa is once again enjoying travel, planning cruises, and visits to her grandchildren. She’s currently getting ready for a trip from Providence to Nantucket, with a stop at Martha’s Vineyard. This time, she’s leaving her blood pressure monitor at home.

Danny has always been an adventurer at heart. For the past 20 years, he and his friends and family have explored different continents, riding Jet Skis™*, four-wheelers, and snowmobiles, always chasing the next thrill. Now in his 60s, Danny has no plans of slowing down. However, not too long ago, high blood pressure nearly put a stop to his adventurous lifestyle.

When Danny sold his business and retired at 55, he started experiencing headaches and flushing. A visit to the doctor revealed that he had high blood pressure. He began a four-year journey filled with trial and error in finding the right medications. Despite taking the medications as prescribed and maintaining regular exercise, his blood pressure remained constantly high. Moreover, he faced side effects like lightheadedness, dehydration, and fatigue, which severely slowed down his active lifestyle.² The same man who once rode four-wheelers for hundreds of miles now struggled to walk across his bedroom. Something had to change. Fortunately, Danny’s personal friend, Dr. Bertolet, is an experienced physician. Dr. Bertolet suggested Danny consider the Symplicity™ blood pressure procedure, a minimally invasive treatment that complements lifestyle changes and medications to help control high blood pressure.^3–5 Dissatisfied with his current treatments and encouraged by his trust in Dr. Bertolet, he decided to try the procedure.

Danny describes his experience with the procedure as “simple.” He recalls, “It was easy. I slept through it.” The recovery involved minimal discomfort, mainly requiring “a little bit of time to heal.” Danny adds, regarding his own personal experience, “I can’t think of a downside from doing it.”

Since Danny received the Symplicity™ blood pressure procedure, he has noticed improvements in his quality of life. Danny was able to reduce the number of high blood pressure medications he takes and their associated side effects. He says his blood pressure decreased by about 10 mmHg compared to his levels before the procedure. Danny is back to enjoying his high-energy lifestyle.⁵ He says the Symplicity™ procedure has helped him feel more like a “free spirit” again. When asked if he would recommend the procedure, Danny says, “I would not hesitate.”