A Medtronic PLC medical device reduced the blood pressure of people with tough-to-treat hypertension in a new study. However it missed its goal, producing an insignificant blood pressure result of only 2 points more than those in the study that didn’t have the procedure done. Despite falling short of the study’s main efficacy goal, Medtronic is still moving forward with its application to the Food and Drug Administration to approve the device. If the FDA approves it, the device could offer a new, non-medication treatment for people who have high blood pressure. “This could be the biggest thing we’ve ever done because hypertension is the No. 1 contributor to death,” Medtronic CEO Geoffrey Martha told The Wall Street Journal.
