Next Treatment for Resistant High Blood Pressure
Nov 24th 2008
The Lindner Clinical Trial Center at The Christ Hospital Is One of the First Centers in the United States to Treat Severe High Blood Pressure with Pacemaker-Like Device
Cincinnati – Exploring next-generation treatments for resistant high blood pressure, physicians with The Lindner Clinical Trial Center at The Christ Hospital are among the first in the U.S. to successfully use the Rheos® Hypertension (HT) Therapy™, developed by CVRx, Inc. Similar to a pacemaker, this device uses electronic impulses to mimic natural body functions that regulate blood pressure. Gregory C. Zenni, M.D., a vascular surgeon with Cardiac, Vascular and Thoracic Surgeons, Inc. and co-investigator in the trial, successfully implanted the device in a Cincinnati woman, who has had favorable results thus far.
“Rheos HT Therapy could be the future of treating patients whose high blood pressure does not respond to medication,” said Eugene Chung, M.D., principal investigator of the Rheos Pivotal Trial at The Lindner Clinical Trial Center. “It would be a much needed solution to preventing the dangerous effects that high blood pressure has on the body.”
High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when constricted arterial blood vessels increase the resistance to blood flow. The heart must work harder to pump blood and the subsequent damage to the heart and blood vessels may increase the risk for stroke, heart attack, and kidney and heart failure. Hypertension is estimated to cause one in eight deaths worldwide. About 25 percent of those with hypertension cannot control their blood pressure with medication and lifestyle modifications alone.
The Rheos HT System uses electrical signals to stimulate the body’s baroreceptors to reduce blood pressure as needed. Baroreceptors are pressure sensors located near the carotid arteries in the neck and in the carotid sinus that measure and report blood pressure to the brain. The Rheos pulse generator is placed under the skin below the collarbone. It delivers energy via thin wires that are connected to the carotid baroreceptors. When the Rheos HT System stimulates the baroreceptors, the brain interprets this message as a rise in blood pressure. The brain then tries to counteract the perceived rise in blood pressure by signaling other parts of the body, including the heart, blood vessels and kidneys, to lower the blood pressure
“The potential benefit of this therapy is remarkable,” said Dr. Zenni. “It could reduce – or even eliminate – the need for blood pressure medicines in certain patients.”
This month, clinical data on the Rheos HT System in 32 patients with Stage II hypertension was presented at the annual American Medical Association Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. Rheos HT Therapy was found to remodel heart structure and improve heart function over a 12-month period. These changes reduce the amount of energy the heart uses to meet the needs of the body, and decreases stress on the body. Previously reported results demonstrated a sustained reduction in systolic blood pressure by an average of 35 mmHg after two years.
For more information and eligibility criteria for the Rheos Pivotal Trial, please contact The Lindner Clinical Trial Center at 513-585-1777. Both the involved physicians and patient are available for interview.
The Christ Hospital is a 555-bed, not-for-profit acute care facility, offering services in cardiovascular care, spine treatment, women’s health, major surgery, cancer, behavioral medicine, orthopedics, emergency care, kidney transplant and others. The hospital also offers The Christ Hospital Medical Associates, a primary care physician practice with several office locations throughout the Tristate. The Christ Hospital is consistently recognized by U.S.News & World Report as one of the nation’s top hospitals, and has been named Cincinnati’s Most Preferred Hospital for 13 consecutive years by National Research Corporation (NRC). For more information about The Christ Hospital, visit www.TheChristHospital.com.
About CVRx, Inc.: CVRx, Inc. is a private company founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Minneapolis. The company has developed the Rheos System, an implantable system designed to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart failure. The system uses CVRx-patented Baroreflex Activation Therapy™ technology, which activates the carotid baroreceptors, central components of the body’s natural cardiovascular regulation system. For more information, visit www.cvrx.com.