For some patients with high blood pressure there is good news. Doctors can now successfully treat high blood pressure by blasting the kidneys with a radio beam. The radio beam is aimed at the kidneys and destroys the nerves that are linked to high blood pressure. The doctors who studied this beam therapy say it may offer hope to patients whose blood pressure is now easily controlled with medications.
"This is an extremely important study, and it has the potential for really revolutionizing the way we deal with treatment-resistant hypertension," said Dr. Suzanne Oparil of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
"This is an extremely important study, and it has the potential for really revolutionizing the way we deal with treatment-resistant hypertension," said Dr. Suzanne Oparil of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
High Blood pressure occurs in close to 30% of the adult population and can cause numerous life threatening complications when it is not well controlled. The treatment of high blood pressure is drug therapy for life.
Recent studies show that more than 50% of patients fail to respond to one medication and often require 2-3 medications to control blood pressure. Other problems with medication include side effects, cost and compliance.
In the current study researchers at the the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute of Melbourne, Australia, inserted a catheter through each patient's leg and into the kidney. The catheter than transmitted radio waves to the kidney. Patients who received this treatment had a significant drop in their blood pressure.
"The impressive results show that this approach has the potential to become a truly revolutionary treatment," said Dr Esler.
So far, this is all preliminary work and it remains to be seen if the nerves will grow back and if the blood pressure lowering will be sustained. The other point is to determine if other patients with hypertension will benefit from this therapy.
Final point: All consumers should know some facts before getting in-line for this radio wave therapy. There are many people who have chronic renal failure and they still have high blood pressure. There are even people whose kidneys have been removed and they still have high blood pressure.
The majority of people who have high blood pressure have no identifiable cause. The kidney plays a role in high blood pressure in less than 10% of patients. Attempts at opening up blockages and increasing blood flow to the kidney have made no difference in control of hypertension.
If applicable, this therapy may be ideal for patients in whom the kidney is responsible for high blood pressure- and that in reality is very few patients. Universal application of this therapy has only one benefit- enrich the doctors.
