BPA comment on new blood pressure operation
The Blood Pressure Association's comment on what is being referred to in the media as the blood pressure 'operation', a technique called renal sympathetic nerve ablation, which involves inserting a wire into a blood vessel close to the kidneys to stop nreves carrying signals that stimulate blood pressure:
"This is a fascinating new experimental technique. However it is important to remember that it was conducted as part of an ongoing international clinical trial, aimed at those people with resistant hypertension, ie those who are unable to control their blood pressure with existing medicines.
"It remains to be seen as to whether this will be a new way to treat high blood pressure in the future and we await the results of this trial with interest.
"In the meantime, we would encourage people with high blood pressure to do their best to follow a healthy lifestyle and to take blood pressure lowering medicines as prescribed by their doctor, as for most people these are proven ways to effectively lower blood pressure. There are all sorts of effective blood pressure medicines available and it's important for patients to work with their doctor to find the right medicine, or combination of medicines, for them."