Key result
Prolonged exposure to a high-altitude environment decreased cardiac output and maximal oxygen uptake during exercise, suggesting altered myocardial function.
Why the study?
Does prolonged exposure to high altitude alter cardiovascular function during exercise in humans?
Does prolonged exposure to high altitude alter cardiovascular function during exercise in humans?
Prolonged exposure to high altitude decreases cardiac output and maximal oxygen uptake during exercise, likely due to altered myocardial function.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May warrant caution for prolonged high-altitude exposure in cardiac patients; leaves open causal mechanisms and need for prospective validation.
Cardiac output during exercise is decreased after a prolonged sojourn at high altitude. The maximal oxygen uptake at high altitude, which persists at a low value even after arterial oxygen content normalizes, is reduced because of these changes in cardiac output. Alterations of both heart rate and stroke volume contribute to this decrease. The etiologies of these changes are not known, but failure to restitute stroke work to sea-level values with dextran 75 infusion suggests altered myocardial function. The superior physical performance of high-altitude natives may be due to cardiovascular adaptation to hypoxia.
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Howard L. Hartley (1971) conducted a review in High-altitude exposure. High-altitude environment vs. Sea-level environment was evaluated on Cardiac output during exercise. Prolonged exposure to a high-altitude environment decreased cardiac output and maximal oxygen uptake during exercise, suggesting altered myocardial function.
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