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Renal denervation, sometimes called renal ablation, is a minimally invasive procedure to reduce blood pressure, especially if you have uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) despite lifestyle changes and treatment with medication.
The procedure disrupts nerves in the renal artery that influence kidney function and contribute to high blood pressure.
The kidneys clean blood delivered through the renal artery and are regulated partly by a renal nerve known as the sympathetic nerve. If the sympathetic nerve sends too many signals or the wrong signals, they can set off a series of events that raise blood pressure. These include triggering production of renin, a protein that makes your blood vessels squeeze tighter, increasing blood pressure. The sympathetic nerves can also prompt the kidneys to keep too much water and salt in the body, adding to fluid in your blood vessels. If the nerves tighten the renal artery and the flow of blood decreases, renin production can be triggered.
To address high blood pressure that is resistant to conventional treatment, your doctor may recommend renal sympathetic denervation to apply heat or ultrasound to reduce sympathetic nerve activity.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute is a leader in advanced hypertension treatment. High blood pressure affects nearly half of American adults, yet only about 1 in 4 people with the condition have it under control. Patients with advanced high blood pressure at Norton Heart & Vascular Institute can benefit from access to leading-edge therapies, including the Symplicity blood pressure procedure — also known as the Symplicity Spyral renal denervation (RDN) system.
Our physicians are also researchers who lead clinical trials into new and experimental treatments. That means patients can get early access to leading-edge therapies, and once the treatments are approved for broad use, our physicians are already deeply experienced.
Renal denervation is not the first treatment for high blood pressure. The first step is addressing any lifestyle choices that may be contributing to your condition. Addressing diet, physical activity, weight, stress, intake of alcohol and caffeine, and quitting smoking can be effective for many.
Medicines also can lower blood pressure. These include thiazide diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Some medications reduce the amount of blood in your system, and others widen blood vessels or make your heart beat with less force.
Advanced high blood pressure often requires more than one medication to manage the condition most effectively. Common combinations include a diuretic and ACE inhibitor or a calcium channel blocker and an ARB.
If lifestyle changes and medication don’t adequately control blood pressure, you might be a candidate for renal denervation. The procedure is minimally invasive. Your doctor will give you a mild sedative before inserting a catheter through the femoral artery in your groin via a tiny incision. Winding through your blood vessels, your doctor will lead the catheter to your renal artery. With the catheter, the doctor administers energy to calm the excessive sympathetic nerve activity. The catheter is removed, and no implant is left behind.
Patients typically go home the same day as the procedure.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute uses the Symplicity Spyral RDN system, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2023.
Ask your primary care provider about Norton Heart & Vascular Institute’s Symplicity blood pressure procedure or schedule an appointment with a cardiologist.
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