Burning Away High Blood Pressure

THERE ARE ONE-BILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO HAVE UNCONTROLLED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

IT'S A PROBLEM THAT MEDICATION CAN'T SOLVE FOR MANY.

NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME THERE'S A PROCEDURE THAT'S ZAPPING AWAY THIS COMMON CONDITION.

AUTHOR, GARDEN ENTHUSIAST, AND ART COLLECTOR CARL YOUNGBERG HAS MANY TITLES.

INCLUDING ONE HE'D LIKE TO DROP, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE PATIENT.

HE'S LIVED WITH THE CONDITION SINCE HE WAS NINE YEARS OLD.

MEDICATIONS HAVE FAILED TO CONTROL IT, SO CARL ENROLLED IN A CLINICAL TRIAL TO TEST RENAL DENERVATION.

Dr. David Brown says, "This is the first change in 100 years in the treatment of high blood pressure."

THE IDEA IS TO TARGET OVERACTIVE RENAL NERVES THAT CAN CAUSE BLOOD PRESSURE TO SOAR.

THE NERVES TRANSMIT INFORMATION FROM THE KIDNEYS TO THE BRAIN. DOCTORS INSERT A NEEDLE INTO AN ARTERY IN THE GROIN NEAR THE KIDNEYS AND BURN THE NERVES. THE RESULT...

Dr. Cara East says, "We take off some of that overdrive, and people feel better, and their blood pressure drops, on average, 30 points."

SO FAR IT SEEMS TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE FOR PEOPLE WITH RESISTANT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, LIKE CARL. BECAUSE HE'S IN A DOUBLE-BLIND TRIAL, CARL DOESN'T KNOW IF HE RECEIVED THE THERAPY, BUT HE'S HOPEFUL.

Carl Youngberg says, "I'd like to find normal to be honest with you, that would, a new normal for me would be wonderful."

AT ITS HIGHEST, CARL'S BLOOD PRESSURE WAS 203 OVER 84.

THE LAST TIME HE CHECKED, IT WAS 160 OVER 74.

RENAL DENERVATION IS ALREADY APPROVED IN CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND EUROPE.

DOCTORS BELIEVE IT COULD BE F-D-A APPROVED IN TWO TO THREE YEARS. RISKS ARE EXTREMELY RARE BUT INCLUDE INFECTIONS AND BLOOD CLOTS.