Renal denervation

We don’t just perform renal denervation. We have championed its use through significant investment in research and gold-standard studies with several institutions since clinical trials started, including in one case enrolling the highest number of patients for the trial in the country and second highest worldwide.  The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation’s (MHIF) interdisciplinary team was crucial to this highly successful research and resulting breakthrough treatment.

But we won’t stop there. Because we value medical advancement, we continue to participate in studies and registries that will help track the long-term efficacy of the procedure and advancements in hypertension care.

Renal denervation is an FDA-approved, minimally invasive procedure designed to lower blood pressure when medication and lifestyle changes have not worked. Renal denervation uses either radiofrequency or ultrasound waves to quiet or silence the overactive nerves surrounding the kidney arteries. This quieting reduces their activity, which in turn reduces blood pressure.

The longest study on renal denervation reveals that blood pressure drops slowly and cumulatively, with patients benefiting from lower blood pressure nine years post-procedure and counting.

Hypertension is chronically high blood pressure, which is a consistent reading of 130/80 or more.

This common condition affects half of Americans, and 80 percent of those cases are uncontrolled. Up to one-third of people undergoing treatment remain uncontrolled, despite making diet and lifestyle changes and taking three medications or more.

Hypertension is often called “the silent killer” because when left untreated, it can lead to aneurysms, hardening of the arteries, heart attack, stroke and other life-threatening cardiovascular conditions. Besides significantly contributing to cardiovascular symptoms and mortality, it also leads to poorer quality of life and higher costs to healthcare systems.

If you have been unable to control hypertension through diet, exercise and/or medication, then you may have what is called resistant hypertension.

Renal denervation is a minimally invasive procedure, which means that risks of complications from the procedure itself, such as bleeding or infection, are rare. It also is widely well tolerated in comprehensive studies.

Renal denervation has been proven to:  

• Lower blood pressure safely and effectively through a minimally invasive procedure
• Reduce or eliminate the need for blood pressure medication
• Reduce risk of heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease and stroke  

Because renal denervation is minimally invasive, serious complications from renal denervation are rare.

The most common side effects are bruising or bleeding near the catheter insertion site, and temporary achiness while you recover from the procedure.

Renal denervation is both safe and effective.

Patients will have an immediate modest drop in blood pressure following the procedure, and that baseline blood pressure reading will continue to slowly decrease over time, meaning the effect from renal denervation procedure is cumulative.

After four weeks, studies have shown a significant drop in blood pressure compared to control groups. Even modest decreases in blood pressure over time reduce the risk for heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events.

According to a 2023 study published in Hypertension, patients sustained nine years of lower blood pressure without any negative effects to the renal system. This gold standard study is the longest of its kind so far and provides good evidence that renal denervation is lasting, safe and effective.

Some people are able to eliminate their blood pressure medication entirely after the procedure. Others are able to reduce their dosages or the number of medications they take.

If you have a blood pressure reading of 130/80 or above, despite taking three or more medications for hypertension — or you cannot tolerate blood pressure medications  —then renal denervation may be an option.

You must be over the age of 18 and make this decision together with your provider.

If you are at a higher cardiovascular risk, you may have the greatest benefit from blood pressure reduction.

Not everyone qualifies for renal denervation. Some conditions that may exclude you from treatment include:

• pregnancy
• fibromuscular dysplasia
• renal artery aneurysm
• significant renal artery stenosis
• known kidney or secreting adrenal tumors

After sedation, your provider will place a catheter through your groin and thread it up to your kidney arteries.

A thin metal wire or balloon is then threaded through the catheter and guided to the overactive nerves that create hypertension.

The provider uses either radiofrequency energy or ultrasound waves to ablate or burn the overactive nerves that surround the kidney arteries. This helps reduce nerve activity and lower blood pressure.

Renal denervation takes about an hour and is usually performed on an outpatient basis —most patients return home the same day.

Most patients go home the same day as the procedure, after monitoring and waking from sedation. You may have some aching as you heal. Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for 48-72 hours.