© flickr & 00dann
カテーテルと高周波エネルギーを用いた，高血圧の画期的治療法の効果が検証された。腎神経の過剰な活動は高血圧につながりうるが，血管形成術に似たこの治療法では，太腿の上部から腎動脈までカテーテルを入れ，高周波エネルギーを使って腎除神経を行う。106名のコントロール不良の高血圧患者を対象とした臨床試験で，この方法で治療された患者は，標準的な薬物治療のみの患者と比べて，治療6カ月後の血圧降下幅が33 mmHgも大きかった。薬物療法に抵抗性の患者に対し，侵襲が少なく効果の高い治療法として期待される。（吉田素子）
Researchers(1) from the University of Glasgow have piloted(2) a new technique which can dramatically(3) reduce blood pressure(4) in patients.
The one off(5) procedure, which uses radiofrequency(6) energy(7) to target the renal artery(8), is an entirely new approach to treating the condition and has produced results which show dramatic improvements in the condition of patients.
The study showed that, after six months, patients treated in the study experienced significant(9) reduction in blood pressure than those treated with standard methods.
The Glasgow element of the study was led by Professor Alan Jardine, from the Institute of Cardiovascular(10) and Medical Sciences.
He said: “This really is an incredibly(11) promising study and the results really are groundbreaking(12). It is the most exciting development in this field for many years.
“Before being involved in the trial the patient I treated was on eight different forms of medication(13) for her high blood pressure. Now she is on none at all and has been free of(14) medication for two months.
“Although this is still early in the process, the results could pave the way for(15) an entirely new method of treatment.”
Patients treated in the study experienced a 33mmHg greater reduction in blood pressure at six months than those treated with standard methods. The results of the study have been published in The Lancet(16).
The new procedure, similar to(17) angioplasty(18), uses a catheter(19) inserted(20) into the upper thigh(21) and then fed(22) up to the renal artery at the kidney(23). The procedure selectively(24) silences(25) the renal nerves(26) using radio frequency energy.
(1) 研究者 (2) ～を先導した (3) 劇的に (4) 血圧 (5) 1回限りの (6) 高周波 (7) エネルギー
(8) 腎動脈 (9) 顕著な (10) 心血管の (11) 信じられないほど (12) 画期的な (13) 薬剤
(14) ～から解放されて (15) ～のために道を開く (16)（医学雑誌の名称）
(17) ～と似ている (18) 血管形成術 (19) カテーテル (20) 挿入された (21) 大腿上部
(22) 送り込まれた (23) 腎臓 (24) 選択的に (25) ～の機能を鎮める（抑え込む） (26) 腎神経
