Circulation, Metabolism and Ventilation during Prolonged Exposure to Carbon Monoxide and to high Altitude

Eight male subjects were investigated at rest and work during normal sea level conditions (control) and the results were compared with experiments performed during prolonged exposure to two different hypoxic conditions of the same magnitude: 1) Anemic hypoxia (carbon monoxide poisoning) and 2) hypoxic hypoxia (3454 m above sea level). Almost no change of circulation, metabolism and ventilation was seen during anemic hypoxia. The changes found during hypoxic hypoxia confirm previous investigations by others. From the results it was calculated that the mean oxygen tension in the tissues during rest was decreased during anemic hypoxia by about 15–20 per cent as compared to the control values, while it was unchanged during hypoxic hypoxia. It is concluded that the regulatory functions of the organism during prolonged exposure to hypoxia respond to a decrease of the arterial oxygen tension.