Baroreflex stimulation in antihypertensive treatment

Abstract

Hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the development of new medications, an alarmingly high proportion of patients are not reaching their target blood pressure goals, so nonpharmacologic therapies have been attracting more interest. Chronic baroreceptor stimulation of the carotid sinus has been shown to reduce blood pressure by inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system, particularly the renal sympathetic tone. This finding has led to the development of implantable carotid sinus stimulators, which have now been studied in both animals and humans, as a means for treating chronic hypertension. The enthusiasm for this modality has led to ongoing studies, which will provide more information on its safety and efficacy in patients with resistant hypertension. The early study results using baroreflex stimulation therapy are promising and suggest that it may play a significant role in controlling blood pressure in the future.