Renal artery ablation, the light of day for intractable hypertension?

Clinically refractory hypertension is defined as a patient whose blood pressure does not reach the target value after using at least three antihypertensive drugs (including diuretics), and we consider the patient’s hypertension to be recalcitrant; according to statistics, recalcitrant hypertension accounts for 12-15% of the entire hypertensive population. There are many causes of recalcitrant hypertension, all of which are closely related to the kidney: 1. The kidney plays an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular activity and in maintaining the dynamic balance of blood pressure; 2. The renal sympathetic nerves include afferent and efferent nerves, both of which are closely related to the dynamic balance of blood pressure; 3. Blocking the renal efferent nerves interrupts the adrenergic nervous system, the renin-angiotensin axis, and the blood pressure In 2009, Professor Krum first reported the use of interventional techniques for percutaneous catheter ablation of renal artery decortication (RDN), referred to as renal artery ablation. Renal artery ablation has a significant near- to mid-term effect on lowering blood pressure, with few complications and no effect on renal function. Serious complications such as renal artery entrapment, perforation or thrombosis are almost non-existent, while general interventional complications such as femoral artery hematoma and bleeding occur occasionally, with an incidence of about 2-3%. Since the technique of renal artery ablation has not been carried out for a long time, there is not much clinical data yet, and for the long-term effect is under observation. It is believed that more international clinical data will be published soon, although the available clinical data have not yielded promising results, and with the passage of time, clinical trials are designed more scientifically and with more cases, for patients with recalcitrant hypertension, looking forward to more advanced technology may be one of the options for treatment.