Nighttime hemodynamic phenotype. A novel risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially heart failure: the practitioner-based nationwide JAMP study

Arterial Hypertension-clinical trials update 2023

Arterial hypertension is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and research in the field is highly dynamic. This summary reviews the most important clinical trials published in 2022 and early 2023. Findings on new pharmacological approaches to treat resistant hypertension are presented and new knowledge about the optimal timing of the antihypertensive medication intake is discussed. It is focused on optimal blood pressure treatment targets and the problem of treatment and guideline inertia is acknowledged. Information about pregnancy-related hypertension is presented and blood pressure control following percutaneous thrombectomy after ischemic stroke is discussed. Finally, novel clinical data on device-based approaches to treat hypertension are summarized. The hypertension trials update summarizes the most important clincal trials on hypertension research in 2022 and early 2023. CTD - chlorthalidone, CV - cardiovascular, HCT - hydrochlorothiazide, SBP - systolic blood pressure, RDN - renal denervation *depicts systolic blood pressure only.

Radio frequency-based renal denervation: a story of simplicity?

Radio frequency-based renal denervation is a safe and effective way of lowering blood pressure, a common condition associated with high cardiovascular risk. Several catheters have been developed to administer energy to the renal arteries and their side branches, thereby modulating sympathetic renal activity. The Symplicity Flex™ and Symplicity Spyral™ are first- and second-generation devices, respectively, for radio frequency-based renal denervation. There is a continuous need to further improve and adjust interventional antihypertensive therapies. Several randomized controlled trials have been conducted to investigate the safety and efficacy of these catheters and most were able to show radio frequency-based renal denervation to be feasible, safe and effective in lowering blood pressure in hypertensive patients with and without concomitant antihypertensive medication. Herein, the authors discuss the pathophysiologic concepts of renal denervation and its procedural approaches, report catheter designs, summarize clinical trials outcomes and, finally, discuss real-world evidence.

Long-term reduction in morning and nighttime blood pressure after renal denervation: 36-month results from SPYRAL HTN-ON MED trial

Elevated morning and nighttime blood pressures (BP) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke and myocardial infarction. We compared the long-term changes in morning and nighttime BP in patients with uncontrolled hypertension (office systolic BP between 150 and <180 mmHg/diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg; mean ambulatory systolic BP (SBP) between 140 and <170 mmHg; 1-3 prescribed antihypertensive medications). Eighty patients were randomized to RDN or sham control. In patients taking at least 3 antihypertensive medications at 36 months (N = 23 RDN group; N = 23 sham group), the 24 h ambulatory SBP as well as morning (7:00-9:00AM) and nighttime (1:00-6:00AM) ambulatory SBP were significantly lower for the RDN group compared to sham control (24 h SBP: -20.2 vs. -10.2, p = 0.0087; morning SBP: -23.9 vs. -8.0 mmHg, p = 0.029; nighttime SBP: -20.8 vs. -7.2 mmHg, p = 0.0011). At 36 months, 24 h SBP was controlled to <130 mmHg in 40% of RDN patients in the morning compared to 6% for the sham group; P = 0.021 and in 80% of the RDN patients at night compared to 39% in the sham group; P = 0.019. Major adverse events through 36 months were rare in both groups, and there were no renal artery re-interventions or vascular complications. Morning and nighttime SBP were significantly lower in patients prescribed at least 3 antihypertensive medications at 36 months in the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED trial for RDN compared with sham control. The results suggest RDN has significant benefit when the risk of cardiovascular events is highest.