Novel high blood pressure treatment with ultrasound

17.09.2015 11:59

The first patients were treated in September of this year at the Frankfurt CardioVascular Center (CVC) with a completely new ultrasound therapy for high blood pressure. Hormone production in the kidneys is supposed to be reduced using ultrasound energy.

Head of study Prof. Dr. Horst Sievert commented in advance: “This non-invasive method could usher in a new era in high blood pressure treatment. This means new hope for the many patients for whom antihypertensive medication does not provide sufficient help. This new form of therapy is intended to reduce the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases for them.”

Hormone production in the kidneys can be reduced without surgery or catheter intervention, only through the targeted external delivery of ultrasound energy to the kidney nerves. This causes blood pressure to drop. If the nerve pathways between the kidneys and brain are overactive, this can contribute to an increase in blood pressure. Until now, “switching off” the kidney nerves (renal denervation) was only possible through an intervention using catheters. The controlled “double-blind” study examines the effectiveness and safety of the “Surround Sound” therapy system*, which was developed by the American manufacturer Kona Medical, in several countries around the world.

On September 24th, 2015 at 12 p.m. in the lecture hall of the Frankfurt Cardiovascular Center (CVC), Seckbacher Landstr. 65, 60389 Frankfurt, a press conference with Prof. Sievert took place.

* “Surround Sound” is currently only available as part of the clinical trial for market approval.