Translational medicine: the antihypertensive effect of renal denervation.
Translational medicine is concerned with the translation of research discoveries into clinical applications for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases. Here we briefly review the research concerning the role of the renal sympathetic nerves (efferent and afferent) in the control of renal function, with particular reference to hypertension. The accumulated evidence is compelling for a primary role of the renal innervation in the pathogenesis of hypertension. These research discoveries led to the development of a catheter-based procedure for renal denervation in human subjects. A proof-of-principle study in patients with hypertension resistant to conventional therapy has demonstrated that the procedure is safe and produces renal denervation with sustained lowering of arterial pressure.
DiBona
Gerald F
GF
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. gerald-dibona@uiowa.edu
Esler
Murray
M
D000818:Animals; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D012079:Renal Circulation; D012083:Renin / Q000378:metabolism; D013562:Sympathectomy; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
D012083:Renin