Symplicity Blood Pressure Procedure is available at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center for certain patients with high blood pressure.  

As leaders in cardiovascular care, our integrated team of specialists at GRMC are continuously exploring the latest treatment options that support our patient-centered approach to care. Our focus on innovations in disease management is at the forefront of our daily work, and since high blood pressure is a prominent health concern for over 1 billion people worldwide,¹ Guadalupe Regional Medical Center is excited to offer patients a treatment option to potentially manage their condition.

Integrating a new hypertension treatment option
GRMC is now performing renal denervation (RDN) procedures for patients with high blood pressure, or hypertension. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2023, the RDN procedure – known as the Symplicity™ blood pressure procedure – is a minimally invasive technique that targets nerves near the kidneys that can become overactive and cause elevated blood pressure.^2-4 After mild sedation, the doctor inserts a very thin tube into the artery leading to the kidney. The doctor then administers energy to calm the excessive activity of the nerves connected to the kidney. The tube is removed, leaving no implant behind. The procedure is approved for use as an adjunctive treatment in patients with hypertension when lifestyle changes and medications do not adequately control blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure
Blood pressure is the force that circulating blood exerts against the walls of the arteries – and hypertension is when blood pressure is too high. Hypertension is often called the “silent killer” because most people don’t know they have it. If you have high blood pressure, your heart works harder, which can raise your risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and kidney failure.^5,6 These risks can be very serious — especially if your high blood pressure is left untreated.

Get the facts about high blood pressure

Talk to your doctor  
If you or someone you know is experiencing high or difficult to control blood pressure, talk to your doctor to see if the Symplicity blood pressure procedure is a possible treatment option.

1. World Health Organization. Hypertension fact sheet. 13 September 2019. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension
2. Kandzari DE, Böhm M, Mahfoud F, et al. Effect of renal denervation on blood pressure in the presence of antihypertensive drugs: 6-month efficacy and safety results from the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED proof-of-concept randomised trial. The Lancet. 2018 Jun 9;391(10137):2346-2355.2.
3. Böhm M, Kario K, Kandzari DE, et al. Efficacy of catheter-based renal denervation in the absence of antihypertensive medications (SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED Pivotal): a multicentre, randomized, sham-controlled trial. The Lancet 2020; Published online March 29, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30554-7.3.
4. Townsend RR, Mahfoud F, Kandzari DE, et al. Catheter-based renal denervation in patients with uncontrolled hypertension in the absence of antihypertensive medications (SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED): a randomised, sham-controlled, proof-of-concept trial. The Lancet. 2017;390:2160 –2170.
5. Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al. 2017ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on clinical practice guidelines. Hypertension. 2018;71(6):e13?e115. doi: 10.1161/HYP.0000000000000065. Epub 2017 November 13.
6. Mayo Clinic. High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension’s effects on your body. January 14, 2022.