By outdoor-nature-child.com In a recent conversation, Dr. Jing Zhicheng, the Deputy Director of the Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences and Chief Physician of Cardiology at Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, shed light on the critical burden of hypertension. He remarked, “Hypertension is the leading health challenge globally. It serves as the primary catalyst for strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure, and various serious complications. If patients struggle to manage their blood pressure effectively, even when taking two or three antihypertensive medications, they should consider renal sympathetic nerve ablation.”
Dr. Feng Yingqing, Deputy Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Center and Director of the Hypertension Research Laboratory, elaborated on the concept of resistant hypertension. He explained that this condition involves patients needing three or more antihypertensive medications to achieve satisfactory blood pressure levels or requiring four or more medications for any degree of control. Such persistent hypertension significantly jeopardizes vital organs, including the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels.
One notable case discussed was that of “Da Shu” (a pseudonym), who has battled hypertension for seven years. Initially indifferent to his treatment, he suffered a stroke six months ago, followed by a diagnosis of coronary heart disease that necessitated a stent placement. Despite being prescribed four different antihypertensive medications, his health status remained far from optimal.
“Da Shu is categorized as a high-risk patient with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and resistant hypertension. The new renal sympathetic nerve ablation technique is particularly fitting for cases like his,” Dr. Feng detailed.
Traditionally, hypertension management has centered around lifestyle changes and medications. However, these methods often face obstacles, including poor adherence, limited success rates, and side effects. The renal sympathetic nerve ablation (RDN) procedure offers a minimally invasive solution, lowering renal sympathetic nerve activity for better long-term blood pressure control. This approach is increasingly viewed as an essential complement to lifestyle modifications and medication for managing hypertension.
Dr. Feng explained the RDN procedure, which employs a next-generation multi-pole renal artery radiofrequency ablation catheter, inserted through a small 2-millimeter incision in the femoral artery. The catheter is guided into the renal artery, utilizing radiofrequency energy to block the transmission of sympathetic nerve signals, thereby alleviating the nerve-driven excitement associated with hypertension. Notably, this catheter can perform ablation across four sites simultaneously, effectively promoting sustained reductions in blood pressure.
Patients who undergo this procedure can anticipate improvements in their blood pressure while potentially decreasing or stopping their medications altogether. Dr. Luo Songyuan, an attending cardiologist, shared reassuring statistics, indicating that patients typically see an average drop in blood pressure of around 10 millimeters of mercury after six months, with reductions nearing 15 millimeters after three years.
“Hypertension can stem from various causes, and this technique isn’t suitable for every patient,” Dr. Feng cautioned. He emphasized that the medical team has developed a thorough management protocol encompassing pre-operative assessments, tailored surgical strategies, interventional procedures, perioperative care, and long-term follow-up, all aimed at ensuring the safe and effective application of this technique.