Onvida Health becomes first hospital in Arizona to perform new procedure for high blood pressure patients
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A groundbreaking new treatment for patients dealing with high blood pressure and hypertension was performed in Yuma for the first time ever.
Onvida Health made history by becoming the first hospital in Arizona to successfully perform a Renal Denervation Procedure.
We spoke with the both the cardiologist and the patient who shared their experience with the innovative operation.
Dr. Evren Kaynak, an Interventional Cardiologist at Onvida Health, started by saying "High blood pressure is a silent killer. It increases your risk of death at least 3 times, even if you don't have any other diseases."
The new procedure is minimally invasive and calms overactive nerves that send messages to the brain to increase blood pressure in the body.
"If we can, and we will, stop the firing of those nerve endings with these radiofrequency ablations, the patient's blood pressure starts dropping right away," states Dr. Kaynak.
Dr. Kaynak says the procedure serves as a good alternative for patients who are taking numerous blood pressure meds.
"This is going to be revolutionary by reducing the chemical pharmacological agents that we're using to hit where it counts," he explains.
Dr. Kaynak says the operation only has to be done once and is effective for the rest of the patient's life.
He adds it helps avoid complications such as strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure.
Being that Onvida Health was the first to successfully perform it, we asked if he expects the rest of the state to catch up.
"I think they will, but we'll still be the leader," replied Dr. Kaynak.
Yuma local Edwin Jimenez was the recipient of the procedure. He says overall, he's feeling much better.
"I was taking anywhere between 10 to 15 medications just for the blood pressure and now I'm down to just to four. With less medications your body's going to be a whole better, as well as your kidneys and your liver," says Jimenez.
Jimenez adds that his recovery time was faster than expected.
"I'm surprised at how it easy it was. There's no pain. It was very quick. I spent the night in the hospital and was released the next day and returned to my normal duties," he shares.
The hospital says the this achievement marks another milestone on their mission to continue providing state-of-the-art treatment to the Yuma community.
