“Renal Denervation (RDN) Treatment”-New Hope for Resistant Hypertension Patients


Head of Department of Cardiology of Near East University Hospital, Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu, expressed that there is new hope for resistant hypertension patients who do not respond to medication treatment. He expressed that this was a newly developed method called renal denervation (RDN) treatment which is quite similar to angiography. He further explained that this new approach was an absolute treatment for hypertension patients-making it a new hope for patients with resistant hypertension- patients who do not respond to medicinal treatment!

Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu pointed out that one person among three adults in the world face the risk of developing hypertension in their lifetimes and that hypertension was the first in line of fatal diseases which could be prevented; alongside being the most common health issue in humans.

Hypertension is referred to as a “silent killer”…
Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu further added that hypertension was regarded as a “sly” disease which could cause a heart attack, stroke, loss of sight, heart failure, renal failure and arteriosclerosis. However, hypertension can also be without any symptoms and could develop ‘deceitfully’ and can be diagnosed when it causes a health complication. This is the reason why it is often referred to as a “silent killer”.

Moreover, Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu stated that making changes in the patient’s life and putting him/her on a appropriate medicine depending on the individual’s personal case is usually the approach taken to treat hypertension. However, this approach does not always provide a solution to this health issue.

Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu: Only 30% of the hypertension patients respond to medicinal treatment!”
In addition to the above statements, it was revealed that only 30% of the hypertension patients could be treated with medicine and therefore an optimal hypertension could not be obtained in all hypertension patients. In cases where the patients do not respond to medical treatments, this type of hypertension is regarded as ‘resistant hypertension’. Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu emphasised that these patients could be applied a procedure similar to angiography and thus radio-frequency is used on the nerves of the kidneys. That is renal denervation (RDN) is a minimally invasive, endovascular catheter based procedure using radiofrequency ablation or ultrasound ablation aimed at treating resistant hypertension. Therefore, nerves in the wall of the renal artery are ablated by applying radiofrequency pulses or ultrasound to the renal arteries. This causes reduction of sympathetic afferent and efferent activity to the kidney and blood pressure cab be decreased. Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu expressed that this was a method preferred over the past few years and available at few health centres around the world.


Absolute solution to hypertension by a 1 hour invasive surgery made through the groin…
Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu said that although some patients are required to take a handful of tablets, their blood pressure does not fall below 16/9. For these patients, renal denervation was a contemporary invasive approach which leads to absolute treatment in an hour. Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu further explained that although the nerves of the kidneys were applied a minimally invasive procedure, this did NOT cause any damage to the kidneys. He further explained that there was no need to apply anaesthesia on the patient and only a local anaesthesia was used in the groin area.

Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu: “For the first time ever in our country, a hypertension patient who uses 7 different medications was successfully treated with renal denervation at Near East University Hospital!”
Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu explained that a few hours after the minimal invasive surgery, the patient was able to stand up and the next day, go home. He added that the RDN method was successful and therefore prevent health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes and heart failures.

Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu provided further information regarding the patient who was treated with RDN at Near East University Hospital and expressed that this patient was a patient was a 47 year old male patient required to use 7 different medicines and still could not lower the blood pressure below 18/10.