In a new study, researchers found one type of surgery could help lower high blood pressure in patients.
The surgery called ‘renal denervation’ targets the nerves connected to the kidney. It could help maintain reduced blood pressure in people with high blood pressure for at least six months.
In addition, patients treated with this surgery needed fewer blood pressure drugs.
The research was led by the UK by Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust.
In the current study, the team examined 140 patients with high blood pressure from the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Half received the surgery and half received a ‘sham procedure’ as a control condition.
The surgery uses ultrasound energy to disrupt the nerves between the brain and the kidneys. The nerves carry signals for controlling blood pressure.
Previously, the team found the surgery could lower blood pressure effectively and safely two months in patients not taking any drugs.
In this study, the team found the blood pressure lowering effect was maintained six months after the operation.
Patients needed much less blood pressure drugs during the time and there were no safety concerns.
The researchers suggest that the surgery could offer hope to patients with high blood pressure who do not respond to drugs. It can help lower the risks of heart attack and stroke.
They hope this therapy could soon be offered as a new treatment option for people with high blood pressure. With the surgery, people maybe don’t need to take lifelong blood pressure drugs.
Future work will confirm the effects of the surgery in larger and longer clinical studies.
One author of the study is Professor Melvin Lobo from Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust.
The study is published in Circulation and presented at the American College of Cardiology Conference in New Orleans.
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