scholarly journals Resistant Hypertension: A Real Entity Requiring Special Treatment?

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Stefano Taddei ◽  
Rosa Maria Bruno ◽  
◽  
◽  

Resistant hypertension (RH) was defined many years ago as a clinical situation in which blood pressure remains uncontrolled despite concomitant intake of at least three antihypertensive drugs (one of them preferably being a diuretic) at full doses. This operative definition was aimed at identifying a subset of hypertensive patients requiring a more extensive clinical workup in order to achieve an adequate blood pressure control. An oversimplification of this picture led to consider RH as a separate clinical entity requiring special, expensive treatments, such as renal denervation and baroreceptor activating therapy. In this review we will discuss the utility and the shortcomings of the definition of RH and the possible consequences for treatment.

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 117954762090488
Author(s):  
Keiko Hosohata ◽  
Ayaka Inada ◽  
Saki Oyama ◽  
Takashi Doi ◽  
Iku Niinomi ◽  
...  

Adherence to medications is an important challenge while treating chronic disease such as resistant hypertension, which is defined as uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) despite treatment with more than 3 antihypertensive drugs to achieve targets. It is possible that poor adherence is the most significant contributor to rates of pseudo-resistance among treated hypertensive patients. In this report, we describe 4 patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension, who received intervention to promote adherence by pharmacists who set the prescribed medicines in a weekly medication calendar and conducted a weekly pill count. The results showed that the intervention of pharmacists to medication adherence improved systolic BP in patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension; however, further controlled trials are required to strengthen supporting evidence.


Folia Medica ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kostadin N. Kichukov ◽  
Hristo V. Dimitrov ◽  
Lora K. Nikolova ◽  
Ivo S. Petrov ◽  
Maria P. Tokmakova

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Arterial hypertension is the most common chronic cardiovascular disease affecting about 25% of the adult population. Meta-analyses have demonstrated a linear relationship between blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular events. Resistant hypertension defined as failure to reach blood pressure targets despite treatment with three antihypertensive drugs including a diuretic represents a serious clinical problem. It has been estimated that it affects between 8.9% and 12.8% of all treated hypertensive subjects. In resistant hypertension the optimal blood pressure is illusive despite very well tailored therapy. OBJECTIVE: Management of resistant hypertension is exactly the fi eld where blood pressurecontrolling non-pharmacological methods fi t best. The present article aims at throwing light on these methods’ principles of action, on who the target patient groups are and the respective results. Two methods are especially reviewed here: the carotid barorefl ex stimulation and the transcatheter renal sympathetic denervation. Current results from the use of renal denervation suggest stable effi ciency of the method, the results becoming signifi cant 6 months after the procedure is applied and sustained for two years in the follow-up. As much as 90% of the treated patients respond to the procedure. The transcatheter renal denervation is associated with only 2.61% of procedural complications. The barorefl ex carotid stimulation, too, is known to produce a stable effect on blood pressure: the effect become obvious at 12 months in 88% of the treated subjects. The neurologic complications associated with the procedure are reported to occur in 4.4% of cases. CONCLUSION: The present review article clearly demonstrates that non-pharmacological methods for treatment of resistant hypertension show great promise despite some open questions concerning their long term effects and procedural safety.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Schmieder ◽  
C Delles ◽  
L Lauder ◽  
C Ott ◽  
M Boehm ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The principle of initial value (Wilder's law of initial value) proposes that the “direction of response of body function to any agent depends to a large degree on the initial value of that function”. Indeed, in several trials on renal denervation (RDN), pre-treatment blood pressure (BP) has been consistently and repeatedly found to predict the decrease in BP after RDN. Efforts to discover further statistically significant and clinically meaningful predictors of BP response to RDN failed. Objective By use of a new methodological approach, we aimed to determine predictors of BP response after RDN in patients with resistant hypertension. Methods The study population comprised 266 patients with resistant hypertension (mean age 62 years, 34% females, mean BMI 30.5 kg/m2, 27% had coronary heart disease, 42% had diabetes mellitus and 61% had hypercholesterolaemia) who underwent radiofrequency RDN with the Symplicity catheter at the Universities of Homburg and Erlangen. Clinical data including 24h ambulatory BP (ABP) were obtained prior to, and 3, 6 and 12 months after RDN. The primary parameter of response was defined as change in 24-hour systolic ABP after 6 months from pre-treatment values. As expected, change in 24h systolic ABP correlated with pre-treatment 24h systolic ABP (r2 linear = 0.225, p<0.001), with change in 24h systolic ABP = 73.82 + 0.55 x pre-treatment 24h systolic ABP. To overcome the predominant role of the pre-treatment BP that may mask other factors, we calculated for each individual patient the “expected systolic ABP decrease” by applying this regression equation and the “excessive systolic ABP decrease” by subtracting the measured from expected change in 24h systolic ABP. We divided the study population into 2 groups (above [responders] and below [non-responders] of the median change in excessive 24h systolic ABP. Results Neither pre-treatment 24h systolic or diastolic ABP, nor office systolic or diastolic BP differed between the two groups (all p>0.20). Following RDN, 24h systolic ABP decreased in the responders by −23.3±16 vs non-responders +1.4±11 mmHg at 6 month, and 24h systolic ABP values were also significantly lower in responders at 3 and 12 months (all p<0.001), without difference in number of antihypertensive drugs between the groups. Of all clinical variables at baseline, office heart rate (65.6 vs 68.7±12 bpm, p=0.024) and HbA1c (6.07±0.88 vs. 6.37±1.23%, p=0.035) were lower in responders compared with non-responders. Finally, a multiple regression analysis confirmed that pre-treatment 24h systolic ABP (beta +0.565, p<0001), HbA1c (beta −0.167, p=0.004) and office HR (beta +0.106, p=0.057) were independent predictors of decrease in 24h systolic ABP. Conclusion In patients with resistant hypertension, lower HbA1c and office HR were identified as predictors of BP response in addition to pre-treatment BP. This finding may help to identify hypertensive patients who benefit most from RDN. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): Extramural grant provided vy Medtronic INc


2013 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianzhong Xu ◽  
Dagmara Hering ◽  
Yusuke Sata ◽  
Antony Walton ◽  
Henry Krum ◽  
...  

SNS (sympathetic nervous system) activation is a common feature of arterial hypertension and has been demonstrated to contribute to the development and progression of the hypertensive state. Persuasive evidence suggests a strong association between SNS overactivity and variety of disease states, including chronic renal failure, insulin resistance, congestive heart failure, sleep apnoea, ventricular arrhythmias and others. Although sympatholytic agents are available to target SNS overactivity pharmacologically, they are not widely used in clinical practice, leaving the SNS unopposed in many patients. The recent introduction of catheter-based renal denervation as an alternative approach to target the SNS therapeutically has been demonstrated to result in a clinically relevant blood pressure reduction in patients with resistant hypertension, presumably through its effects on both efferent and afferent renal nerve traffic. Available data on this interventional procedure demonstrate a favourable vascular and renal safety profile. Preliminary data obtained primarily from small and mostly uncontrolled studies in related disease states often characterized by overactivity of the SNS are promising, but require confirmation in appropriately designed clinical trials. In the present paper, we briefly review the physiology of the renal nerves and their role in hypertension and other relevant disease states, summarize the data currently available from clinical studies pertaining to the safety and efficacy of renal denervation in resistant hypertension, discuss potential future implications and the available data supporting such a role for renal denervation, and describe some of the newer devices currently under investigation to achieve improved blood pressure control via renal denervation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Castro Torres ◽  
Richard E. Katholi

Adequate blood pressure control represents an important goal for all physicians due to the complications of hypertension which reduce patients' quality of life. A new interventional strategy to reduce blood pressure has been developed for patients with resistant hypertension. Catheter-based renal denervation has demonstrated excellent results in recent investigations associated with few side effects. With the growing diffusion of this technique worldwide, some medical societies have published consensus statements to guide physicians how to best apply this procedure. Questions remain to be answered such as the long-term durability of renal denervation, the efficacy in patients with other sympathetically mediated diseases, and whether renal denervation would benefit patients with stage 1 hypertension.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
J David Spence

Resistant hypertension (failure to achieve target blood pressures with three or more antihypertensive drugs including a diuretic) is an important and preventable cause of stroke. Hypertension is highly prevalent in China (>60% of persons above age 65), and only ~6% of hypertensives in China are controlled to target levels. Most strokes occur among persons with resistant hypertension; approximately half of strokes could be prevented by blood pressure control. Reasons for uncontrolled hypertension include (1) non-compliance; (2) consumption of substances that aggravated hypertension, such as excess salt, alcohol, licorice, decongestants and oral contraceptives; (3) therapeutic inertia (failure to intensify therapy when target blood pressures are not achieved); and (4) diagnostic inertia (failure to investigate the cause of resistant hypertension). In China, an additional factor is lack of availability of appropriate antihypertensive therapy in many healthcare settings. Sodium restriction in combination with a diet similar to the Cretan Mediterranean or the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can lower blood pressure in proportion to the severity of hypertension. Physiologically individualised therapy for hypertension based on phenotyping by plasma renin activity and aldosterone can markedly improve blood pressure control. Renal hypertension (high renin/high aldosterone) is best treated with angiotensin receptor antagonists; primary aldosteronism (low renin/high aldosterone) is best treated with aldosterone antagonists (spironolactone or eplerenone); and hypertension due to overactivity of the renal epithelial sodium channel (low renin/low aldosterone; Liddle phenotype) is best treated with amiloride. The latter is far more common than most physicians suppose.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-112
Author(s):  
Mohammad Gaffar Amin ◽  
Hasna Fahmima Haque

Resistant hypertension is defined as blood pressure that remains above therapeutic goal despite the use of three antihypertensive drugs including a diuretic. As much as one third of patients with arterial hypertension are treatmentrefractory as they do not reach sufficient blood pressure control despite combination antihypertensive therapy of significant duration. The hyperactivity of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in the occurrence of treatment-resistant long standing hypertension has been established both in animal models and in clinical practice. In these patients, the kidneys play a central role as an activator of the sympathetic nervous system. The failure of purely pharmacological approaches to treat resistant hypertension has stimulated interest in invasive device-based treatments based on old concepts. In the absence of orally active antihypertensive agents, patients with severe and complicated hypertension were widely treated by surgical denervation of the kidneys until the 1960s, but this approach was associated with a high incidence of severe adverse events and a high mortality rate. A new catheter system using radiofrequency energy has been developed, allowing an endovascular approach to renal denervation and providing patients, with resistant hypertension, with a new therapeutic option that is minimally invasive and can be performed rapidly under local anaesthesia. With this method the afferent and efferent sympathetic nervous fibers surrounding the renal artery are ablated precisely keeping the renal artery intact. To date, this technique has been evaluated only in open-label trials including small numbers of highly selected resistant hypertensive patients with suitable renal artery anatomy. The available evidence suggests a significant and persistent blood pressure-lowering effect and a very low incidence of short & long term complications with no deleterious effects on renal function. These data, although promising, need confirmation in larger randomized controlled clinical trials with longerterm follow-up.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/birdem.v2i2.12325(Birdem Med J 2012; 2(2): 104-112)


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Liang ◽  
Yi Liang ◽  
Rui Li ◽  
Ning Gu

AbstractIncreasing studies strongly prove that renal denervation, a minimally invasive surgery, is a promising new non-drug treatment method that can effectively control blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension, but the evaluation of the long-term blood pressure control effect of renal denervation for resistant hypertension is still lacking. Here, we critically review current long-term follow-up data about the use of renal denervation for RH to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of renal denervation for RH, and to provide practical guidance for practitioners who are establishing a renal denervation service. Limited by the current research, many problems need to be solved before renal denervation is applied to RH. In addition, ambulatory blood pressure should be the first choice for the evaluation of blood pressure. Finally, the continuous antihypertensive effect of renal denervation in different renal denervation systems also needs to be strictly compared.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-34
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Cherneva ◽  
Ivo Petrov

Treatment-resistant hypertension, or resistant hypertension (RH), is defined as arterial hypertension (AH) despite treatment with three properly dosed antihypertensive drugs, at least one of which is a diuretic. Resistant hypertension is associated with an increased incidence of adverse cardiovascular events, renal impairment, and increased mortality. The main treatment of patients with RH is based on maximizing doses of antihypertensive drugs from different groups and adding drugs with complementary mechanisms of action. Despite the combination treatment involving multiple antihypertensive drugs, a small but significant group of patients remains with uncontrolled hypertension, emphasizing the need to find and put into practice new therapies to lower high arterial blood pressure (BP). Among these new methods of treatment, the most promising is the renal sympathetic denervation, showing positive results with the second generation devices. This review summarizes current knowledge about the treatment of RH, with an emphasis on new therapeutic strategies to achieve optimal blood pressure control.


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