The Particulars: Few studies have explored the impact of adding renal denervation (RD) as an adjunct to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and resistant hypertension and its effect on AF recurrence and blood pressure.
Data Breakdown: Researchers analyzed two randomized studies of patients with symptomatic drug refractory paroxysmal and persistent AF and moderate/severe resistant hypertension who underwent PVI and RD or PVI only. At 12 months follow-up, 63% of patients who underwent PVI and RD had no recurrent AF, compared with a rate of 41% among those who underwent only PVI.
Take Home Pearl: Renal denervation appears to reduce recurrent AF when performed with PVI ablation in patients with both AF and hypertension.
