Prevalence of potential modifiable factors of hypertension in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension.

Background: A comprehensive diagnostic evaluation of potential modifiable factors of difficult-to-control hypertension would enable clinicians to target-specific amendable causes. Therefore, we assessed the prevalence of underlying medical conditions, lifestyle factors, and concomitant medication use in an integrated diagnostic evaluation in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension, referred to a tertiary center.

Methods: The study population consisted of 653 patients referred between 2006 and 2016 for difficult-to-control hypertension to the University Medical Center Utrecht.

Salt intake and blood pressure response to percutaneous renal denervation in resistant hypertension.

The effect of lowering sympathetic nerve activity by renal denervation (RDN) is highly variable. With the exception of office systolic blood pressure (BP), predictors of the BP-lowering effect have not been identified. Because dietary sodium intake influences sympathetic drive, and, conversely, sympathetic activity influences salt sensitivity in hypertension, we investigated 24-hour urinary sodium excretion in participants of the SYMPATHY trial.

Safety of Temporary Discontinuation of Antihypertensive Medication in Patients With Difficult-to-Control Hypertension.

Successful control of blood pressure relies on identification of secondary causes and contributing factors of hypertension. As antihypertensive medication can interfere with diagnostic investigations, temporary discontinuation of medication is advised. However, there are concerns about the safety of temporary discontinuation of antihypertensive medication in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension.

Renal denervation beyond the bifurcation: The effect of distal ablation placement on safety and blood pressure.

Renal denervation may be more effective if performed distal in the renal artery because of smaller distances between the lumen and perivascular nerves. The authors reviewed the angiographic results of 97 patients and compared blood pressure reduction in relation to the location of the denervation. No significant differences in blood pressure reduction or complications were found between patient groups divided according to their spatial distribution of the ablations (proximal to the bifurcation in both arteries, distal to the bifurcation in one artery and distal in the other artery, or distal to the bifurcation in both arteries), but systolic ambulatory blood pressure reduction was significantly related to the number of distal ablations.

Impact of Medication Adherence on the Effect of Renal Denervation: The SYMPATHY Trial.

Unlabelled: Randomized trials of catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) as therapy for resistant hypertension showed conflicting results in blood pressure (BP) lowering effect. Adherence to medication is modest in this patient group and may importantly drive these conflicting results. SYMPATHY is a prospective open label multicenter trial in Dutch patients with resistant hypertension.

Renal Denervation in a Real Life Setting: A Gradual Decrease in Home Blood Pressure.

Objectives: To investigate the blood pressure dynamics after renal denervation through monthly home blood pressure measurements throughout the first 12 months.

Methods: A cohort of 70 patients performed highly standardized monthly home blood pressure monitoring during the first year after denervation according to the European Society of Hypertension guidelines. At baseline and 12 months follow-up, office and ambulatory blood pressure as well as routine physical and laboratory assessment was performed.

Renal denervation in hypertensive patients not on blood pressure lowering drugs.

Introduction: Studies on the blood pressure lowering effect of renal denervation (RDN) in resistant hypertensive patients have produced conflicting results. Change in medication usage during the studies may be responsible for this inconsistency. To eliminate the effect of medication usage on blood pressure we focused on unmedicated hypertensive patients who underwent RDN.

A systematic review concerning the relation between the sympathetic nervous system and heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background: Heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFPEF) affects about half of all patients diagnosed with heart failure. The pathophysiological aspect of this complex disease state has been extensively explored, yet it is still not fully understood. Since the sympathetic nervous system is related to the development of systolic HF, we hypothesized that an increased sympathetic nerve activation (SNA) is also related to the development of HFPEF.

Denervation of the renal arteries in metabolic syndrome: the DREAMS-study.

Chronic elevation of sympathetic nervous system is a key factor in metabolic syndrome. Because renal denervation (RDN) is thought to modulate sympathetic activity, we performed the Denervation of the Renal Arteries in Metabolic Syndrome (DREAMS)-study to investigate the effects of RDN on insulin sensitivity and blood pressure (BP) in patients with metabolic syndrome. Twenty-nine patients fulfilling the criteria for metabolic syndrome and who used a maximum of 1 antihypertensive or 1 antidiabetic drug or 1 of both gave informed consent and were treated by RDN.

Renal denervation in heart failure with normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Rationale and design of the DIASTOLE (DenervatIon of the renAl Sympathetic nerves in hearT failure with nOrmal Lv Ejection fraction) trial.

Aim Increasing evidence suggests an important role for hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in the clinical phenomena of heart failure with normal LVEF (HFNEF) and hypertension. Moreover, the level of renal sympathetic activation is directly related to the severity of heart failure. Since percutaneous renal denervation (pRDN) has been shown to be effective in modulating elevated SNS activity in patients with hypertension, it can be hypothesized that pRDN has a positive effect on HFNEF.

Relation of serum TNF-α and TNF-α genotype with delayed cerebral ischemia and outcome in subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Introduction: The pathogenesis of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains obscure. The authors assessed the relationship of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and TNF-α gene polymorphisms with occurrence of DCI and poor outcome at 3 months.

Methods: Serum levels of TNF-α were measured every other day until discharge in 67 patients and the mean serum levels per patient during days 0-12 were dichotomized at the median value of the whole group.