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SIU Medicine recruiting patients for high blood pressure study

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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is sometimes called “the silent killer,” but a new clinical trial will investigate if it can be affected by sound waves. SIU Medicine researchers are enrolling patients in a study to see if ultrasound energy can be used to improve blood pressure in people with hypertension.
 
ReCor Medical’s RADIANCE CAP Clinical Study is a non-randomized study that will give patients the opportunity to try new technology to reduce their BP. The study is designed to evaluate the ability of the Paradise Renal Denervation (RDN) System to reduce blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled hypertension despite taking stable doses of antihypertensive medications.
 
John M. Flack, MD, MPH, will serve as the primary investigator on the study. Flack is the Sergio Rabinovich, MD, Endowed Chair of Internal Medicine at SIU School of Medicine and specializes in treating resistant hypertension in minority populations. He is an American Society of Hypertension-certified hypertension specialist and also serves as the president of the American Hypertension Specialist Certification Program.
 
“High blood pressure affects half of the adult population in America, and is the greatest risk factor for death and disability worldwide,” Flack said. “It increases the risk of suffering from heart disease, kidney failure, vascular disease and stroke. For patients who can’t manage their hypertension with medications or are seeking an alternate treatment for high blood pressure, this trial offers a promising new approach.”
 
A trio of recent ReCor Medical studies showed a consistent reduction of blood pressure in pooled analysis of similar clinical trials. Data from more than 500 randomized patients demonstrated that patients who were treated with the Paradise RDN System had a greater reduction in blood pressure than those treated with a control at 2 months.
 
The nerves running to the kidneys are especially important in the control of blood pressure. The Paradise RDN System is a minimally invasive procedure to treat these overactive nerves. A small incision is made in the groin. A small, flexible catheter is inserted into an artery supplying the kidney. Ultrasound energy is delivered to the tissue surrounding the artery for several seconds. The sound waves generate heat to decrease the over-activity of the nerves leading to the kidney. Both kidneys are treated. Following treatment, the device is removed.
 
If you have high blood pressure, you may qualify for this study. Participants will receive all study-related care at no cost. This includes the procedure, as well as any follow-up visits to the clinician’s office. Volunteers will also be reimbursed for their time and travel to attend the study visits. Participants may leave the study at any time without any effect on their future medical care.
 
For more information about the RADIANCE CAP clinical trial, please contact Aaron Deopere at 217-545-9714 or visit highbptrial.com.

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