Clinical Value of Catheter-Based Sympathetic Nerve Modulation

Abstract

Hypertension is a prevalent condition leading to cardiovascular adverse events and mortality. Despite the pharmacologic treatments available, persistently elevated blood pressure can be observed in a significant number of patients. Dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in hypertension. Radiofrequency ablation can disrupt the sympathetic innervation localized in the adventitia of the renal arteries, thus modulating the sympathetic nervous system. In this chapter sympathetic nerve modulation will be discussed, including physiopathological considerations, technical aspects and experience arising from animal and clinical studies.

Keywords: Animal models, arrhythmias, catheter-based, fibrosis, hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, hypertrophy, macroalbuminuria, metabolic syndrome, microalbuminuria, obstructive sleep apnea, pathophysiology, renal denervation, renal function, resistant hypertension, sympathetic hyperactivity, sympathetic nerve modulation, sympathetic nervous system, sympathetic overdrive.