Our July 9, 2012 article (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2012; 54:55) on renal sympathetic denervation for multiple-drug resistant hypertension concluded that the catheter-based procedure (Symplicity Catheter System – Medtronic) can lower blood pressure in most patients with hypertension resistant to ≥3 antihypertensive drugs. That conclusion was based on the results of 2 studies. SYMPLICITY HTN-1 compared outcomes to baseline blood pressures. SYMPLICITY HTN-2 randomized patients to renal denervation or usual care.

Medtronic has issued a press release (January 9, 2014) announcing that SYMPLICITY HTN-3, a double-blind trial with sham controls, failed to meet its primary efficacy endpoint, the change in office blood pressure from baseline to 6 months (www.medtronic.com).

No quantitative results have been published to date. In all 3 trials, there were no serious complications of the procedure.

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