Surgeries & Interventions

Renal Denervation’s Comeback

kidney

Two late-breaking studies presented at the annual TCT meeting showed that renal denervation safely and effectively lowered blood pressure among patients with treatment-resistant hypertension. 

Renal denervation burns nerves in the blood vessels surrounding the kidneys to dampen the sympathetic nervous system and decrease blood pressure. Enthusiasm for renal denervation waned after Medtronic’s Symplicity 3 trial failed to meet its target endpoint in 2014.

New data suggests renal denervation may be making a comeback. Both Medtronic and Recor Medical presented randomized, sham-controlled data demonstrating the safety and efficacy of their respective renal denervation devices. 

  • ReCor’s ultrasound-powered Paradise device was tied to an 8 mmHg drop in ambulatory systolic BP readings at six months, compared to 2mmHg in the control arm (N=224). Participants also experienced similar reductions in the nighttime, 24-hour, and office readings.
  • Medtronic’s Symplicity device also showed promising outcomes. At 3 years, the Symplicity group saw in-office systolic blood pressure drop by 22.1 mmHg, with similar trends in the 24-hour ambulatory group. 

The Takeaway

Renal denervation continues to be a promising solution for patients with treatment-resistant hypertension. While previous studies may have fallen short and more research might be needed, physicians and regulators can have renewed confidence that Medtronic’s Symplicity system and ReCor’s Paradise device lower blood pressure.

Get twice-weekly insights on the biggest stories shaping cardiology.

You might also like

Cardiology Practices September 18, 2025

What Cardiologists Say vs. What Patients Hear September 18, 2025

Cardiovascular risk communication might be failing patients when they need it most, after the HARIPA study revealed significant disconnects between patient and physician perceptions of future cardiovascular risk and procedural complications. The HARIPA study surveyed cardiology inpatients and their physicians from October 2022 to March 2023, using structured questionnaires to assess risk perception and communication […]

Digital Health September 15, 2025

TRICORDER Shows Potential of AI Stethoscopes September 15, 2025

Results from the massive TRICORDER study suggest Eko Health’s AI-powered stethoscopes could change the way primary care providers perform cardiac screening, potentially catching thousands more patients for cardiologists to treat. The TRICORDER study results encompassed 205 NHS GP practices over 12 months, with nearly 1,000 providers performing more than 12.8k AI-stethoscope exams in routine care […]

Cardiology September 11, 2025

Cardiac Wire’s ASE 2025 Takeaways September 11, 2025

The American Society of Echocardiography left an echo this year in Music City as it celebrated its 50th year. Among the studies and products unveiled at ASE 2025, here are Cardiac Wire’s top five takeaways from the meeting. Premium Echo Has Found its Stride – Although most typically think of ultrasound as a lower cost […]

You might also like..

Select All

You're signed up!

It's great to have you as a reader. Check your inbox for a welcome email.

-- The Cardiac Wire Team

You're all set!