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Renal Denervation Therapy and Baroreceptor Activation Therapy: Emerging Tools for Treating Resistant Hypertension

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Hypertension in High Risk African Americans

Abstract

Despite the availability of over 125 approved different antihypertensive medications, a sizeable 36 million (48 %) of the 75 million people with hypertension in the USA are not achieving guideline blood pressure goals known to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and kidney disease progression. Between 3 and 6 % of these 75 million, hypertensives are estimated to have resistant hypertension. A major contributing factor for poor blood pressure control is failure of antihypertensive agents to inhibit the sympathetic nervous system adequately. Consequently, alternative approaches using devices have been developed. Recent technical advances targeting the renal sympathetic nerves, i.e., renal denervation therapy (RDT), and the baroreceptors in the carotid sinuses, i.e., baroreflex activation therapy (BAT), have been the focus of more invasive therapies to treat resistant hypertension. Encouraging results from the Symplicity HTN-2 and Rheos Pivotal trials on efficacy and safety of RDT and BAT indicate these therapies can safely reduce blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension. These approaches, while some are approved in other parts of the world, i.e., RDT, are still experimental in the USA and the results of these ongoing clinical trials will determine their approval.

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Correspondence to George Bakris M.D. .

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Hart, P.D., Gosain, P., Bakris, G. (2015). Renal Denervation Therapy and Baroreceptor Activation Therapy: Emerging Tools for Treating Resistant Hypertension. In: Ferdinand, K. (eds) Hypertension in High Risk African Americans. Clinical Hypertension and Vascular Diseases. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2010-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2010-5_11

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