Denervation denuded
De Leeuw, P.W.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 158: A7832
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 1876-8784 PMID: 24988175 Document Number: 677479
Renal denervation has been developed as a means to treat hypertensive patients who are resistant to antihypertensive drugs. This technique involves destroying the renal autonomic nerve fibres, leading to a decrease in afferent and efferent nerve traffic. As a consequence, total sympathetic activity decreases and the blood pressure falls. After preliminary data and a proof-of-principle study had shown beneficial effects, the technique was implemented on a large scale without much further research. Recently, though, a randomized trial comparing true renal denervation with a mock procedure, could not demonstrate a measurable effect of renal denervation on blood pressure. This indicates that proper evaluation, including evaluation of devices, is always necessary. Specialists with little experience in treating hypertension should refrain from applying this technique.