High Altitude
- High altitude reduces barometric pressure.
- Reduced barometric pressure lowers inspired oxygen partial pressure.
- Reduced barometric pressure lowers alveolar oxygen partial pressure.
- High altitude causes arterial hypoxemia.
- Peripheral chemoreceptors increase ventilation during high-altitude hypoxemia.
- High-altitude hyperventilation produces respiratory alkalosis.
- Acetazolamide can treat high-altitude respiratory alkalosis.
- Acetazolamide can facilitate acclimatization.
- Respiratory alkalosis occurs when hyperventilation lowers carbon dioxide (CO₂), and acclimatization is the set of physiologic adjustments that improve tolerance of high altitude.
- Hypoxemia increases renal erythropoietin production.
- Hypoxemia increases red-cell mass.
- Hypoxemia increases hemoglobin concentration.
- Hypoxemia increases oxygen content.
- High altitude increases 2,3-diphosphoglycerate.
- Increased 2,3-diphosphoglycerate shifts the hemoglobin-oxygen curve right.
- Right-shifted hemoglobin-oxygen curve decreases hemoglobin oxygen affinity.
- Right-shifted hemoglobin-oxygen curve improves tissue oxygen unloading.
- Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction increases pulmonary arterial pressure.
- Increased pulmonary arterial pressure increases right-ventricular workload.
- Increased right-ventricular workload can cause right-ventricular hypertrophy.
- High-altitude adaptation increases blood oxygen-carrying capacity, but sustained hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction can raise pulmonary pressure and strain the right ventricle.
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