RENAL VASCULAR HYPERTROPHY AND REMODELLING IN SHR: SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND IMPLICATIONS FOR HYPERTENSION [ 2000 - 2002 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Dr Michelle Kett (Principal investigator)

Brief description High blood pressure (hypertension) remains a major health problem for Australians. One in six Australians suffer from hypertension, with consequent increased risk of stroke and heart attack. Anti-hypertensive treatments are available, but must usually be taken for the rest of the patient's life and the cost to the taxpayer of anti-hypertensive drugs is greater than for any other health problem. Prevention of high blood pressure depends on identifying the initial cause - but we still do not know the cause in over 90% of hypertensive people. This project will study whether overactivity of the nerves to the blood vessels of the kidney might be the cause. There is evidence for this in humans, and in a strain of rats which develops high blood pressure (the spontaneously hypertensive rat). Our experiments will study these rats to see whether nerves affect the structure and function of the blood vessels of the kidney in ways that lead to increased blood pressure.

Funding Amount $AUD 191,561.74

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant