Radiofrequency renal nerve denervation decreases blood pressure, sympathetic activity and renal norepinephrine content in spontaneously hypertensive rats (72.1)

Radiofrequency renal denervation (RF-RDN) decreases blood pressure (BP) in patients with drug-resistant hypertension. This study investigated the effects of RF-RDN on sympathetic activity and BP (Systolic, SBP; Diastolic, DBP) in SHR. Methods Nineteen-week old male SHR were instrumented with telemetry probes for chronic measurement of BP and BP variability (BPV). After 1-week, control BP was measured in rats for 3 days. The next day SHR (n=6/group) were anesthetized and randomly received either bilateral Sham-RDN or RF-RDN of the renal arteries (Biosense Webster Stockert 70 generator and RF-probe). BP was then measured in SHR for 8 weeks. Results Following RF-RDN, SBP/DBP was significantly decreased the day after (153±8/102±4 mmHg) and throughout the post-RDN study (4-week SBP/DBP, 173±7/120±5; 8-weeks, 171±6/116±4 mmHg) compared to pre-RDN control levels (SBP/DBP, 187±9/130±5 mmHg). RF-RDN significantly decreased the low frequency component of BPV in SHR with the peak attenuation observed at 8 weeks (LF/...