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A method and apparatus for treatment of heart failure, hypertension and renal failure by stimulating the renal nerve. The goal of therapy is to reduce sympathetic activity of the renal nerve. Therapy is accomplished by at least partially blocking the nerve with drug infusion or electrostimulation. A

A method and apparatus for treatment of heart failure, hypertension and renal failure by stimulating the renal nerve. The goal of therapy is to reduce sympathetic activity of the renal nerve. Therapy is accomplished by at least partially blocking the nerve with drug infusion or electrostimulation. Apparatus can be permanently implanted or catheter based.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for treating a human patient comprising: a. positioning a nerve stimulation device adjacent to a renal nerve of at least one kidney of the patient, wherein the nerve stimulation device comprises a cuff placed around a renal blood vessel of the kidney; and b. at least

What is claimed is: 1. A method for treating a human patient comprising: a. positioning a nerve stimulation device adjacent to a renal nerve of at least one kidney of the patient, wherein the nerve stimulation device comprises a cuff placed around a renal blood vessel of the kidney; and b. at least partially blocking the renal nerve of the kidney. 2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the cuff comprises an electrode, and the electrode is positioned surgically in the patient. 3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the cuff comprises a drug delivery device, and the device is positioned surgically in the patient. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the nerve stimulation device is implanted in the patient. 5. The method as in claim 1 wherein afferent fibers of the renal nerve are blocked and efferent fibers are not blocked. 6. The method as in claim 1 wherein efferent fibers of the renal nerve are blocked and afferent fibers are not blocked. 7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of blocking the renal nerve is accomplished by a block selected from a group consisting of an anodal block, a cathodal block and a collision block. 8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of blocking the renal nerve is accomplished by overpacing the nerve. 9. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of blocking is accomplished by continuous infusion of an anesthetic drug to the nerve. 10. A method as in claim 1 further comprising monitoring blood pressure of the patient, and adjusting a level of blocking in response to said blood pressure. 11. A method as in claim 1 wherein the nerve stimulation device is a catheter. 12. A method as in claim 1 wherein the nerve stimulation device is a lead with multiple electrodes. 13. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of blocking is accomplished by the injection of a neurotoxin. 14. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of blocking is accomplished by ablation of the renal nerve. 15. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of blocking is accomplished by cooling of the renal nerve. 16. A method as in claim 1 applied to a patient suffering from at least one of heart failure, chronic renal failure and hypertension. 17. A method to stimulate a renal nerve in a mammalian patient to treat at least one of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, chronic renal failure and hypertension, the method comprising: a. positioning a renal nerve stimulation device in the patient such that an electrode at a distal section of the stimulation device can apply an electrical field to a renal nerve of a kidney of the patient and a proximal section of the stimulation device is connected to an electro stimulation apparatus outside of the patient; b. applying an electrical stimulation signal with the device to the renal nerve; c. at least partially blocking the renal nerve by application of the stimulation signal; and d. removing the distal section of the stimulation device from the patient. 18. A method as in claim 17 wherein stimulation signal is an electrical current applied by the electrode to the renal nerve. 19. A method as in claim 17 wherein the nerve stimulation device further comprises a drug delivery device and the stimulation signal is a nerve blocking drug applied to the renal nerve. 20. A method for reducing abnormally elevated sympathetic renal nerve signals to treat at least one of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, chronic renal failure and hypertension, the method comprising: a. positioning a renal nerve stimulator such that at least one electrode at a distal end is proximate to a renal nerve of a mammalian patient and a proximal end of the renal nerve stimulator is outside of the patient; b. applying an electrical current to the electrode with an electric controller to stimulate the renal nerve to at least reduce signal traffic in sympathetic efferent renal nerve fibers; c. regulating the current applied to the electrode based on at least one condition of the patient being monitored by a sensor; and d. removing the distal end of the renal nerve stimulator from the patient. 21. A method as in claim 20 wherein a controller monitors blood pressure in the patient and the sensor is a blood pressure sensor. 22. A method as in claim 20 wherein a controller monitors blood oxygen in the patient and the sensor is a blood oxygen sensor. 23. A method for treating at least one of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, chronic renal failure and hypertension in a human patient comprising: positioning a distal section of an electrical nerve stimulation device within a renal vasculature adjacent to a renal nerve of at least one kidney of the patient and a proximal section of the electrical nerve stimulation device outside of the patient; and at least partially blocking the renal nerve of the kidney via the intravascularly-positioned electrical nerve stimulation device; and removing the distal section of the electrical nerve stimulation device from the patient. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein positioning the electrical nerve stimulation device within renal vasculature further comprises positioning an electrode within the renal vasculature. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein positioning the electrode within the renal vasculature further comprises positioning a bipolar electrode pair within the renal vasculature. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein at least partially blocking the renal nerve of the kidney further comprises delivering an electric field across the bipolar electrode pair. 27. The method of claim 23, wherein positioning an electrical nerve stimulation device within the renal vasculature of the patient further comprises positioning the electrical nerve stimulation device within a renal vein of the patient. 28. The method of claim 23, wherein positioning an electrical nerve stimulation device within the renal vasculature of the patient further comprises positioning the electrical nerve stimulation device within a renal artery of the patient. 29. A method for treating a human patient comprising: a. positioning a nerve stimulation device adjacent to a renal nerve of at least one kidney of the patient, and b. at least partially blocking the renal nerve of the kidney, wherein the step of blocking is accomplished by ablation of the renal nerve. 30. A method for treating a human patient comprising: a. positioning a nerve stimulation device adjacent to a renal nerve of at least one kidney of the patient, and b. at least partially blocking the renal nerve of the kidney, wherein the step of blocking is accomplished by cooling of the renal nerve.