SPLANCHNICECTOMY FOR ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Hypertensive cardiovascular disease remains one of the foremost problems facing medicine today. It has been estimated that one-fourth of the adult population of this country has high blood pressure1and that the complications of this condition account for more deaths annually than does cancer. Hypertension is of particular importance because it is responsible for many deaths and much premature disability in young and middle-aged persons. It is highly desirable, therefore, to lower the mortality for such a disease. Many forms of therapy have been used in an effort to control hypertension. The principal ones may be classified under three headings: (1) diets low in sodium and fat, (2) drugs with a hypotensive or sedative effect, and (3) surgery. The form of surgical therapy that has been used most extensively is intervention on the sympathetic nervous system. There are many data in the literature concerning the short-term effects of various