title: The effects of radio-frequency ablation on blood pressure control in patients with atrial fibrillation and hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effects of radio-frequency ablation (RFA) on blood pressure (BP) regulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and hypertension remain unknown. We hypothesized that patients with successful ablation had a lower BP and/or lesser utilization of antihypertensive drug therapy during follow-up when compared to patients with failed ablation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This was a retrospective evaluation of patients with AF and hypertension treated with ablation at the University of Utah between July 2006 and June 2010. BP and use of antihypertensive medications were assessed at baseline and 1 year follow-up. A total of 167 patients were identified. Eight patients were excluded due to the need for AAD therapy beyond the blanking period thus leaving 80 patients in the success group and 79 patients in the failure group. The mean BP and HR at baseline were not significant between the groups. In the success group, the mean systolic BP decreased from a baseline value of 129 ± 17 to 125 ± 14 mmHg at 1 year (p = 0.075). In contrast, in the failure group, the mean systolic BP increased from a baseline value of 124 ± 16 to 127 ± 14 mmHg at 1 year (p = 0.176). Between-group comparison revealed a p value of 0.026. Minimal changes in diastolic BP were noted in both groups. No significant changes in antihypertensive therapy were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that successful catheter ablation in patients with AF and hypertension is associated with a decrease in systolic BP when compared to an increase in patients with failed ablation. Our findings suggest that restoring sinus rhythm could have an antihypertensive effect in patients with AF and hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
authors.forename: Alexies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Christina F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Pacchia
authors.forename: Natalie A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wasmund
authors.forename: Mohamed H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hamdan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents