title: [Renal sympathetic denervation in treatment-resistant hypertension].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal denervation (RDN) has been introduced as a potential new treatment for patients with treatment-resistant hypertension, defined as a blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg despite treatment with at least three antihypertensive drugs. We present an overview of this type of treatment, describe the method and discuss its possible future uses.
  
  
  METHODS
  The review is based on a discretionary selection of relevant articles from our archive, our own experience and a literature search in PubMed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of RDN for treatment-resistant hypertension is based on a single randomised study with a total of 104 patients, in which the intervention group experienced a fall in blood pressure of 32/12 mm Hg, while blood pressure in the control group remained unchanged. More than 16,000 patients, particularly in Germany, have been treated on this basis. In the USA, data from a larger randomised study (n = 530) that includes sham surgery are awaited before any decision is made on whether to approve the method for use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Before RDN can become recommended treatment in Norway, more evidence is required that the method lowers blood pressure, and that this reduces morbidity and mortality.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Fadl Elmula Mohamed
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Fadl Elmula
authors.forename: Sverre E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kjeldsen
authors.forename: Magne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brekke
authors.forename: Eyvind
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gjønnæss
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hjørnholm
authors.forename: Vibeke N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Kjær
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rostrup
authors.forename: Eigil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fossum
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Os
authors.forename: Aud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stenehjem
authors.forename: Aud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Høieggen
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000601:surgery*; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*