A new device that uses ultrasound waves could help people who find it hard to control their high blood pressure.
This tool is still being tested but has shown good results so far. It works by calming nerves in the kidneys, which may help lower blood pressure for people who have not improved with lifestyle changes and medicine.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is very common. If left untreated, it can cause serious health problems like heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and kidney damage. While many people manage it by eating better, exercising, and taking pills, about one in three people still can’t get their blood pressure down to a safe level.
That’s why this new ultrasound device is exciting. The treatment it offers is called ultrasound renal denervation. It focuses on the arteries in the kidneys. When the nerves in these arteries are too active, they tell the body to hold on to extra water and salt. This raises blood pressure. By calming these nerves, the new device may help reduce blood pressure.
A group of researchers led by Dr. Ajay Kirtane at Columbia University looked into how well this device works. They combined results from three different studies that included over 500 middle-aged adults with different levels of high blood pressure. Some were taking medication, and others were not.
The results were promising. On average, people who received the ultrasound treatment saw their daytime blood pressure drop by about 8.5 points.
While that might not sound like a huge number, it’s enough to lower the risk of serious health problems. Also, people who got the real treatment were twice as likely to reach healthy blood pressure levels compared to those who got a fake treatment.
These changes were noticed within just one month of the treatment. That means the device might start working quickly for many people.
Even though the device hasn’t been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yet, it’s still being studied in clinical trials. If future studies show it’s safe and works well, doctors might soon have another tool to help patients. The idea is not to replace medicine or healthy habits but to add another way to manage high blood pressure.
For people who have tried everything and still can’t lower their blood pressure, this treatment could be a new option to try before more serious health issues happen. Still, doctors need to do more research to understand who will benefit most and how long the effects last.
If you or someone you love has high blood pressure, this is something to keep an eye on. There are also other new ideas for managing blood pressure.
For example, some research shows that eating all meals within a shorter time each day—called early time-restricted eating—might help. Other studies are looking at whether taking blood pressure medicine at certain times of day makes it work better.
Eating more plant-based foods can also help. These small changes, combined with new treatments like the ultrasound device, may one day make it easier for people to stay healthy and avoid the serious problems that come with high blood pressure.
This study was published in JAMA Cardiology. Although more work needs to be done, this new treatment offers hope for many people facing a tough health challenge.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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