PBMC brings new high blood pressure treatment to the East End

Peconic Bay Medical Center continued to expand its cardiac care services with a new treatment for difficult-to-control high blood pressure that previously forced many East End patients to travel farther west for care.

The Riverhead hospital’s cardiology team has already performed three renal denervation procedures at the Kanas Regional Heart Center, with more cases scheduled, officials announced Tuesday.

“We’ve built the clinical expertise and infrastructure to support this program for the long term, with the goal of establishing PBMC as a regional center of excellence for renal denervation,” President Amy Loeb said. “As a community hospital, being able to offer this level of specialized cardiac care means our neighbors can get treatment for a serious, often under-managed condition without having to travel far from home. This program is one more way we’re expanding what advanced cardiac care looks like for our community.”

During the procedure, a physician threads a thin catheter through the artery leading to the kidney and uses energy to calm overactive nerves that contribute to elevated blood pressure. The catheter is then removed, leaving no permanent implant behind.

Renal denervation — which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in November 2023 — is intended for patients with hypertension that is not controlled well enough through medication and lifestyle changes alone.

Dr. Rohit Maini — a FACS Certified Vascular Interventionalist — has been performing the procedures.

“Access to advanced, minimally invasive treatment options can make a meaningful difference for patients whose high blood pressure hasn’t responded to medication alone,” Chair of Cardiology Dr. John Kassotis said. “By offering renal denervation, we’re able to give patients across Eastern Suffolk County another option for managing a condition that, left untreated, can lead to serious complications like heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.”

High blood pressure affects roughly half of adults across the country, and among those aware of their condition, many still do not have it under control. Hypertension increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease if left untreated.

For more information about cardiac services at Peconic Bay Medical Center, visit www.pbmc.northwell.edu.