Pacemaker-Based Cardiac Neuromodulation Therapy in Patients With Hypertension: A Pilot Study.

Background In prior unblinded studies, cardiac neuromodulation therapy (CNT) employing a sequence of variably timed short and longer atrioventricular intervals yielded sustained reductions of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in patients with hypertension. The effects of CNT on SBP were investigated in this double‐blind randomized pilot study. Methods and Results Eligible patients had daytime ambulatory SBP (aSBP) ≥130 mm Hg and office SBP ≥140 mm Hg despite taking ≥1 antihypertensive medication, and an indication for a dual‐chamber pacemaker. Patients underwent Moderato device implantation, which was programmed as a standard pacemaker during a 1‐month run‐in phase. Patients whose daytime aSBP…