Expert consensus statement of the Czech Society of Cardiology and the Czech Society of Hypertension on catheter-based sympathetic renal denervation procedures (RDN) in the Czech Republic

The Czech Society of Cardiology and the Czech Society for Hypertension provide an expert consensus statement on the implementation of catheter based renal denervation in the Czech Republic. Conclusion: until additional and/or larger randomized clinical trials confirm (or not) the promising results of initial studies, renal denervation can be performed exclusively as part of specific research protocols, approved by ethical committees. Renal denervation should be performed only in tertiary centers with ongoing research and publication activity to guarantee, that the results will be objectively and critically evaluated. It is unethical to promote this method already today (early 2012) for routine hypertensive patients as a standard (proven) part of their treatment. Each patient must be informed, that renal denervation still is in the phase of clinical research.