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Grant: Too little potassium - high blood pressure

A grant of DKK six million from Foundation LeDucq will be utilised to investigate why blood pressure increases significantly in people who do not get enough potassium. Professor Robert A. Fenton from Aarhus University will lead the research.

Robert Fenton is an internationally respected researcher who collaborates widely nationally and internationally, as well as having established his own research group.
Robert Fenton is an internationally respected researcher who collaborates widely nationally and internationally, as well as having established his own research group.

Salt and sodium chloride – and too much of it – has long been the primary culprit when it comes to high blood pressure. Now it turns out that too little potassium plays an equally important role. With the Transatlantic Network of Excellence grant from LeDucq, Robert A. Fenton and his international partners will investigate these new findings.

It is quite usual to see a low content of potassium in western dietary habits. However, the low content of potassium activates a process whereby both the salt content in the blood and the blood pressure itself increase.

The grant provides the opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration and will strengthen a number of fundamental and clinical aspects of the research.


Further information

Professor Robert A. Fenton
Aarhus Universitet, Institut for Biomedicin
Mobil: 28 99 21 49
robert.a.fenton@biomed.au.dk