AHA Scientific Statement on Renal Denervation to Treat Hypertension Published

August 9, 2024—The American Heart Association (AHA) recently announced the publication of the AHA scientific statement on renal denervation (RDN) for the treatment of hypertension (HTN). The statement by Jennifer L. Cluett, MD, et al is available online in the AHA journal Hypertension.

As summarized by the AHA, key points of the statement include the following:

• Radiofrequency and ultrasound RDN are approved by the FDA for the adjunctive treatment of HTN in patients for whom lifestyle and antihypertensive medications do not adequately control blood pressure (BP).
• RDN has been proven effective in patients with mild, moderate, and resistant HTN with a BP-lowering efficacy of RDN comparable to that of an effective antihypertensive drug.
• RDN therapy has a favorable safety profile with a very low incidence of major adverse events.
• Medium to longer-term safety data show no evidence of associated kidney dysfunction or new or worsening renal artery stenosis.
• The continued collection of safety data is important.

The AHA also noted the publication of commentary on the statement by John M. Flack, MD, that stated, “The scientific statement is well-written, comprehensive, and does a commendable job of rationally interpreting the clinical trial and registry data while contextualizing them with appropriate interpretational caveats.” Dr. Flack outlined 10 key take-away points from about RDN for lowering BP.

The AHA’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2024 will be held September 5-8 in Chicago, Illinois.