LECOM Health Cardiologist to Perform First in Class Groundbreaking FDA-Approved Therapy for Treatment of Resistant Hypertension

ERIE, Pa. (April 25, 2024) – LECOM Health is pleased to announce the treatment of the first five patients with a new renal denervation (RDN) procedure, now offered for certain patients with high blood pressure. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Symplicity Spyral™ renal denervation (RDN) system – involves a minimally invasive procedure that targets nerves near the kidneys that can become overactive and cause high blood pressure. Matthew C. Becker, M.D., Chairman of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories for LECOM Health, will perform the initial procedures on Thursday, April 25.

The procedure – also known as the Symplicity™ blood pressure procedure – is approved for use as an adjunctive treatment in patients with high blood pressure (or hypertension) when lifestyle changes and antihypertensive medications do not adequately control blood pressure.

“Half of Americans are affected by high blood pressure and it is a major contributor to heart attacks and strokes. For people with hypertension, medication and/or lifestyle changes can help reduce blood pressure, but studies have shown that many people still don’t have control over their condition,” said Dr. Becker. “The Symplicity blood pressure procedure – which is now FDA-approved – can provide patients with a blood pressure reduction benefit that is ‘always on’ and doesn’t require a permanent implant – it can also help patients regain their peace of mind. We are pleased to be treating our first five patients with this new technology, and we look forward to the future of hypertension care by offering innovative solutions to the people of the Erie region.”

Hypertension is the single largest contributor to death,¹ and affects about 50% of U.S. adults.² Of the U.S. adults who are aware of their hypertension, about 80% do not have it under control.³

Supplemental Materials:

1. Hypertension Awareness
2. Hypertension Awareness Kit Guide
3. Team Talk Renal Denervation

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1. WHO. Hypertension fact sheet. September 13, 2019. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension. Accessed February 15, 2022. 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. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Control Hypertension. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2020.
3. Facts about Hypertension. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm. Accessed August 10, 2023.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Ettehad D, Emdin CA, Kiran A, et al. Blood pressure lowering for prevention of cardiovascular disease and death: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet. 2016;387:957-67.