Table 1 Study inclusion/exclusion criteria

1 Individual is ≥18 and ≤75 years of age

1 Secondary and white-coat hypertension

2 More than 6 months for definite primary hypertension

2 Permanent AF individual

3 Individual has a systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg (≥150 mmHg for type 2 diabetics) based on an average of three office blood pressure readings measured

3 Thrombus in left atrial appendage found by transesophageal echocardiography

4 Individual is adhering to a stable drug regimen, including three or more antihypertensive medications of which one is a diuretic, for a minimum of 14 days prior to enrollment

4 Individual with severely enlarged left atria ≥55 mm

5 At least 30 seconds on a rhythm strip in an ECG record and at least 1 AF outbreak which was recorded by EGG and Holter during the preceding 6 months

5 Individual has experienced renal artery stenosis, or a history of prior renal artery intervention including balloon angioplasty or stenting, or ineligible conditions seen on renal artery computed tomography angiogram inspection such as double renal artery on one side, renal artery length ≤2 cm, diameter ≤4 mm, and distortion at incept sect

6 Paroxysmal and persistent AF individual

6 Individual has experienced a definite acute coronary syndrome in the past 3 months, or a cerebrovascular accident and alimentary canal bleeding within 3 months

7 Agree to attend experimental clinic and sign written informed consent

7 Individual has experienced sick sinus syndrome

8 reversible causes of AF, including alcohol abuse, surgery, electrocution, myocadial infarction, pericarditis, myocarditis, pulmonary embolism or other pulmonary diseases, hyperthyroidism, and other metabolic disorders

9 structural heart diseases such as congenital, valvular heart diseases and kinds of cardiomyopathy

10 Individual is pregnant or nursing

11 Mental disorders - individual cannot complete follow-up or one the researcher thinks is unfit to be included in this study

AF, atrial fibrillation; ECG, electrocardiogram.