Recent Advancements in the Treatment of Resistant Hypertension

The 2008 scientific statement from the American Heart Association defined resistant hypertension as blood pressure remaining above goal (< 140/90 mm Hg for the general population and < 130/80 mm Hg for patients with diabetes or renal disease) despite the concurrent use of optimal doses of 3 antihypertensive agents of different classes, ideally including a diuretic. Since then, there has been increasing recognition and characterization of patients with resistant hypertension and development of treatment strategies to treat this high-risk population. The role of aldosterone in resistant hypertension has gained increasing recognition. In particular, there has been development of a strong body of evidence for the use of spironolactone as a highly effective antihypertensive agent. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence to link aldosterone with both resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, with preliminary studies suggesting that aldosterone antagonists may potentially be effective in treating both conditions. Finally, recent work has directed increased attention toward novel invasive strategies for the treatment of resistant hypertension, specifically baroreflex activation therapy with carotid stimulation and percutaneous renal artery denervation. Initial randomized controlled trials have shown that both of these methods may be used to safely lower blood pressure, thereby providing exciting and promising new tools in the armamentarium of options to treat resistant hypertension.