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Animal studies and pilot studies in humans have suggested that catheter-mediated ablation of renal sympathetic nerves can lower blood pressure (BP) in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension.
In the first randomized controlled human trial of this technique (funded by the maker of the catheter system), researchers randomized 106 patients with treatment-resistant hypertension (systolic BP ≥160 mm Hg in nondiabetic patients or ≥150 mm Hg in diabetic patients despite treatment with 3 or more antihypertensive agents) to renal sympathetic denervation with radiofrequency pulses delivered via catheter or no intervention. Post-randomization changes in antihypertensive medications were allowed only when medically necessary because of symptomati…