FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VHC Health Performs Region’s First Groundbreaking Hypertension Procedure
Arlington, VA (January 8, 2024) – VHC Health, a community-based health system providing exceptional medical services to the Washington, DC metropolitan area, is now offering a new, first-of-its-kind procedural treatment for patients with resistant hypertension. VHC Health is the first health system in the region to offer the renal denervation (RDN) procedure, also known as the Symplicity™ blood pressure procedure. The treatment was approved in November 2023 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for use in patients for whom medication and lifestyle changes do not adequately reduce high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a leading cause of death in the United States and affects approximately 50% of American adults, or 120 million people, according to the CDC. Hypertension has various associated health risks, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and kidney failure. Less than a quarter of adults who are prescribed hypertension medication have their blood pressure controlled at a safe level. Renal denervation is the first procedure to treat hypertension and uses a minimally invasive technique that targets nerves near the kidneys. The procedure is clinically proven to reduce high blood pressure and its associated health risks.
“We’re excited by the potential impact to patients and families across the Washington, DC region and beyond,” said Jeremy Bock, MD, FACC, Medical Director for Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiologist and Endovascular Specialist at VHC Health Physicians. “As one of the first health systems and one of the first surgeons in the United States to perform the RDN procedure, this is a highlight of my career. This procedure is going to change the way we treat patients with hypertension and is just the beginning of what we can accomplish.”
Today, VHC Health will perform its first set of RDN procedures. This procedure has been rigorously studied for safety and efficacy for over 15 years, and patients typically achieve a 10-25 mmHg drop in their systolic blood pressure, leading to a greater than 20% reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. The Symplicity™ blood pressure procedure is approved in over 70 countries and over 25,000 patients have already been treated throughout the world.
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About VHC HealthTM: VHC Health provides exceptional medical services as our region’s community health system. Virginia Hospital Center was designated a 2021 Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. In 2022, the Hospital was selected for an 11th consecutive Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ and a 21st consecutive ‘A’ grade from The Leapfrog Group. Virginia Hospital Center is a 453-bed not-for-profit teaching facility and designated as a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. VHC Health is a proud member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network – a national network of independent healthcare organizations.
