Hypertension

High blood pressure increases a patient's risk of heart attack, stroke and other diseases. Most people with hypertension have no symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says nearly half of U.S. adults have hypertension, or high blood pressure, and only about 1 in 4 of those individuals has their hypertension under control. The World Health Organization (WHO) expects the epidemic of hypertension world-wide will exceed 1.56 billion people by 2025. Major efforts are underway to better control this primary risk factor through screenings, medication and invasive procedures such as renal denervation in severely uncontrolled patients.

How to get reimbursed for renal denervation
Herbert D. Aronow, MD, reviewed the many ways the reimbursement landscape is changing thanks to new Medicare policies. “This is a really exciting time in the renal denervation space," he said.
Winning cash for taking blood pressure meds increases compliance
About 71% of patients in the rewards group opened their blood pressure medication on 80% of days, compared with about 34% in the control group.
More good news for renal denervation: FDA-approved systems linked to positive long-term data
New data on the RDN systems from Recor Medical and Medtronic confirmed that this relatively new technology brings long-term relief to patients with uncontrolled hypertension.
Nearly 600K bottles of blood pressure drug recalled due to carcinogen risk
The FDA has detailed three voluntary recalls for prazosin hydrochloride, a medication used to treat hypertension, due to safety concerns.
Medicare now covers renal denervation for patients with uncontrolled hypertension
This decision expands access to renal denervation to many more patients throughout the United States. Recor Medical and Medtronic both gained FDA approval for their RDN systems in 2023, and other vendors are actively developing their own treatment options.

Herbert D. Aronow, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI, FSVM, medical director, heart and vascular service line and the Benson Ford Chair in Cardiology at Henry Ford Health, member of board, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), the explains how hospitals can set up renal denervation (RDN) programs and how the reimbursement landscape is changing with new Medicare coverage.

How to get reimbursed for renal denervation

Herbert D. Aronow, MD, reviewed the many ways the reimbursement landscape is changing thanks to new Medicare policies. “This is a really exciting time in the renal denervation space," he said.

Winning cash for taking blood pressure meds increases compliance

About 71% of patients in the rewards group opened their blood pressure medication on 80% of days, compared with about 34% in the control group.

Paradise Ultrasound image courtesy of Recor Medical.

More good news for renal denervation: FDA-approved systems linked to positive long-term data

New data on the RDN systems from Recor Medical and Medtronic confirmed that this relatively new technology brings long-term relief to patients with uncontrolled hypertension.

Nearly 600K bottles of blood pressure drug recalled due to carcinogen risk

The FDA has detailed three voluntary recalls for prazosin hydrochloride, a medication used to treat hypertension, due to safety concerns.

Recor Medical's Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation System

Medicare now covers renal denervation for patients with uncontrolled hypertension

This decision expands access to renal denervation to many more patients throughout the United States. Recor Medical and Medtronic both gained FDA approval for their RDN systems in 2023, and other vendors are actively developing their own treatment options.

'The less you drink, the better': Even minor changes in alcohol use lower hypertension risk

These new findings challenge the long-standing assumption that low levels of alcohol do not meaningfully influence a person's blood pressure.

A call to action for pediatric cardiologists: CVD prevention begins at childhood

Pediatric cardiologists can make a significant impact on global health trends by looking for early warning signs of CVD in their patients and collaborating with other physicians.

FDA highlights risks of evaluating blood pressure with unauthorized medical devices

The agency emphasized that many over-the-counter technologies marketed for this purpose have not been properly evaluated.