A new clinical trial in Indiana will study an alternative treatment for hypertension by targeting nerves that can raise a person’s blood pressure.

Stress messages from the nervous system can result in high blood pressure.  A new study involving Franciscan Health doctors uses a catheter procedure to disable nerves in arteries near the kidney that send these signals.

Dr. Atul Chugh leads cardiovascular research at Franciscan Health and says this procedure offers an alternative

“This is another tool in the toolbox that will allow us to decrease blood pressure without the undue burden of having more pills in the pillbox,” says Chugh.

Early results show that the blood pressure reduction can be lasting.

An estimated 35 percent of Hoosiers have hypertension, or high blood pressure, a condition that can lead to stroke or heart failure.

Chugh says hypertension is known as a silent killer.

“Because it’s a silent killer, patients often don’t have any symptoms, however the symptoms they get from the blood pressure medications can outweigh the symptoms from high blood pressure,” says Chugh.

Hoosiers with hard to control blood pressure may qualify to participate in the study