Summary

Introduction: Resistant arterial hypertension, defined as that which persists despite administration of three or more antihypertensive drugs (including a diuretic) in adequate doses, is an important cardiovascular and mortality risk factor.

Objectives: To assess the renal sympathetic denervation technique using Symplicity® catheter-based endovascular radiofrequency renal-nerve ablation, in terms of its safety, efficacy and/or effectiveness for treatment of resistant arterial hypertension. Assessment focused mainly on the changes brought about in short- and long-term systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and their effects on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Methods: A search of the scientific literature was made until July 2012,
covering the following databases: Medline; Embase; Health Technology
Assessment (HTA); Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness
(DARE); NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHSEED); Cochrane
Library Plus; ISI Web of Science; Índice Médico Español (IME); Clinical
Trials Registry; and Cochrane Central Database. From among the papers yielded by the bibliographic search, only those that met the selection criteria were selected; data were then extracted and the evidence summarised.

Results, discussion, conclusions and recomendations see pdf below