Renal denervation combatting hypertension

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - It's what one area Saint Luke's Hospital patient is calling a game-changer and it's a trial called Renal Denervation or RDN.

About one out of every two Americans suffer from high blood pressure. It can lead to problems such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and heart failure. For many years, medications were the only real option for patients. Now, RDN is a minimally invasive option for these patients.

The procedure uses catheters to interrupt the nerves in the arteries. This process causes a reduction in the nerve activity, which decreases blood pressure.

Saint Luke's Hospital patient, David Taylor, says RDN saved his life, allowing for more time with family.

"I was kind of hesitant at first," Taylor said. "We talked it over and I made the decision to go ahead and go through with it. It was a great decision for me because I'm now on one blood pressure medication. Prior to the trial, I was all over the board. For me personally, it's a lifesaver."

"I think the larger group will be patients who are having trouble taking numerous medications," added Saint Luke's Hospital cardiologist Dr. Steven B. Laster. "This will allow them to maybe be on fewer medications, in addition to having had this treatment and then having their blood pressure under good control. So far there have been no adverse effects. You get about a 5-10 millimeter drop in systolic blood pressure with the treatment, usually resulting in fewer medications. The long-term benefit holds up. It's a lasting effect."

The trial results have been sent to the FDA. During the last quarter of this year, cardiologists are hopeful that the device could be approved by the FDA for use so more patients can be treated. Currently, it's investigational.