A device that uses ultrasound to calm overactive nerves in the kidneys may help some people with high blood pressure control their health condition.
A new study found that the device consistently reduced daytime ambulatory blood pressure by an average of 8.5 points among middle-aged people with high blood pressure.
This is important because about one-third of high blood pressure patients are unable to control their blood pressure with lifestyle changes and medications alone.
This can blood pressure uncontrolled for too long can lead to serious health issues like heart failure, strokes, heart attacks, and irreversible kidney damage.
The device, which is still being tested and has not yet been approved by the FDA for use outside of clinical trials, is used in a procedure called ultrasound renal denervation.
It works by calming overactive nerves in the renal artery, which can trigger water and sodium retention and release hormones that raise blood pressure.
In the study, the team used data from three studies encompassing more than 500 middle-aged patients with varying degrees of high blood pressure and medication use.
Twice as many patients who received the ultrasound therapy reached their target daytime blood pressure compared to patients in the sham groups, and improvements in blood pressure were seen as soon as one month after the procedure.
The team says the treatment is expected to be offered as an adjunct to medication therapy and lifestyle changes for people with uncontrolled high blood pressure once it is available.
Renal ultrasound could be offered to patients who are unable to get their blood pressure under control after trying lifestyle changes and drug therapy before these events occur.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and the best time to take high blood pressure drugs.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about new way to reduce blood pressure effectively, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
The study was conducted by Ajay Kirtane et al from Columbia University and published in JAMA Cardiology.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
