The Future of Interventional Management of Hypertension: Threats and Opportunities

In about 48% hypertensive patients in the United States, blood pressure remains higher than accepted treatment targets despite broad availability of effective pharmaceutical agents. Of these 48%, recent estimates define about 10-11% have treatment-resistant hypertension (TR-HTN). Compensatory changes in sympathetic nervous system function are an important component of HTN. Recent technical advances targeting the sympathetic activity of the carotid sinuses (Baroreflex Activation Therapy-BAT) and the renal sympathetic nerves (Renal Denervation Therapy-RDT) have renewed interest in invasive therapy for the treatment of drug-resistant hypertension. Encouraging results from the recent Rheos Pivotal and Symplicity HTN-2 trials on the safety and efficacy of BAT and RDT respectively, indicate that invasive approaches can safely reduce blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension. The main goal of this article is to review the results of preclinical and clinical studies on the electric stimulation of the carotid sinus and the catheter-based renal denervation.