Nothing doctors prescribed controlled Michael Garrity's dangerously high blood pressure — until they zapped away some nerves on his kidneys.
In this photo provided by Massachusetts General Hospital, patient Mike Garrity, center, speaks with Drs. Joe Garasic, left, and Randy Zusman in Boston, on Sept. 25, 2024.
“My blood pressure would spike and I’d run out of breath and feel tired, and that doesn’t happen anymore,” said Garrity, 62, of Needham, Massachusetts. He still takes medicine but at lower doses, his blood pressure normal for the first time in years. “I’m thrilled.” And only a fraction of patients have their hypertension well-controlled, meaning there’s a need for novel strategies. The Food and Drug Administration approved that “renal denervation” option about a year ago, based on studies showing a modest benefit in patients whose blood pressure remains high despite multiple medicines.
To avoid falsely high readings, the American Medical Association has tips: Sit quietly with feet on the floor, and legs not crossed. Place the cuff on a bare arm, not over clothing. Don’t dangle the arm and rest it on a table.Lifestyle changes are the first step, especially for otherwise healthy people. Guidelines urge losing weight, exercising, eating more fruits and vegetables, limiting salt and alcohol, and taking steps to handle stress.
Although already used in other countries, a key U.S. trial of renal denervation failed about a decade ago, prompting changes before researchers tried again. In November 2023, the FDA approved two catheter systems, from Recor Medical and Medtronic.
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