Poul Bjørndahl Astrup

Poul Bjørn Dahl Astrup (born 4 August 1915 Copenhagen, † 30 November 2000) was a Danish physiologist and laboratory chemist.

The Danish polio epidemic in 1952-53 affected many young people, many of whom were dependent due to paralysis of the respiratory muscles of a ventilator. As head of the laboratory in Blegdamshospitalet in Copenhagen, Astrup dedicated to the best treatment of these patients. He found that the key to control the ventilator effectively consisted of measuring the acid -base status and oxygenation, and developed together with the company Radiometer A / S, a device for blood gas analysis.

1954-1979 Astrup was chief of the Central Laboratory of the Rigshospitalet ( Copenhagen University Hospital ). Astrup 1964 was appointed Professor of Clinical Chemistry.