A minimally invasive procedure that quiets overactive nerves around the pulmonary artery sharply reduced how often high-risk heart-failure patients got worse, according to a Phase 3 trial.
The PADN-HF-PH study enrolled 264 patients with pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease and heart failure — a common and dangerous complication in which pressure builds in the lungs’ arteries, straining the right side of the heart. Patients were randomized to pulmonary-artery denervation (PADN) plus guideline-directed medical therapy, or medical therapy alone. Results were presented at the ESC Congress 2026.
The result
Over a median follow-up of about 11 months, clinical worsening (a composite of death, transplant, heart-failure hospitalization, outpatient worsening, or a decline in walking distance) occurred in roughly 26% of the denervation group at two years, versus about 52% with medical therapy alone — roughly a halving. The procedure looked safe, with only minor access-site bruising and no major complications.
Why it matters — and the caveat
Pulmonary hypertension in heart-failure patients is a strong predictor of hospitalization and death, and options have been limited. A catheter procedure that meaningfully cuts worsening could be an important addition — but the investigators caution that longer follow-up is needed to confirm whether the mid-term benefit translates into sustained reductions in death and hospitalization. This article summarizes a clinical trial and is not medical advice.