Renal denervation (RDN), a novel procedure where renal artery nerves are strategically ablated to lower blood pressure, is a minimally invasive method of treating patients whose hypertension is not well-controlled with pharmacology.
Dr. Secemsky co-led a clinical study on RDN that helped inform the FDA's approval of the procedure in 2023. Since then, BIDMC's Complex Hypertension Clinic, led by hypertension specialists Dr. Anna Krawisz and Dr. Jennifer Cluett, and a number of other institutions around the country have incorporated RDN into their complex hypertension treatment practice. Many RDN recipients are reported to have been able to scale back their antihypertensive medication regimen, or stop taking their medications entirely, following the procedure.
The Renal Denervation Registry being launched by Dr. Secemsky and Dr. Krawisz's 
team at the Smith Center is a database for the collection of comprehensive RDN patient treatment and outcomes information. Based in REDCap, the Registry is built for streamlined electronic capture of clinical data and is specially designed for multi-site use --- numerous RDN-performing institutions across the country are already working with our Registry team to begin contributing data.
As of June 2025, the Smith Center will be collaborating with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to broaden the RDN Registry through the NCDR Cath-PCI Registry. The RDN Registry NCDR module will ultimately allow participating Registry sites to input and access real-world clinical data about RDN's long-term efficacy and safety within the established NCDR data environment. Collection of this data will be valuable to ongoing and future research into optimal care for patients with hard-to-treat hypertension.
If you are a member of an RDN-performing institution and would like to inquire about your site joining the RDN Registry, please contact our Project Management team at bidmc-rdnregistry@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Read more about the exciting collaboration between the Smith Center and ACC in the ACC's official press release: ACC, Smith Center to Collaborate to Advance Renal Denervation Knowledge - American College of Cardiology
See BIDMC's press release on the Complex Hypertension Clinic to learn more about how Beth Israel approaches care for patients with uncontrolled hypertension. To read about one Clinic patient's journey to blood pressure control, click here.