High altitude medicine - Revision history

Danbot: Add verified PubMed references (PMIDs 37783743, 28143879)

2026-03-22T10:53:33Z

Add verified PubMed references (PMIDs 37783743, 28143879)

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:53, 22 March 2026
Line 10:		Line 10:
	:(1,524 - 2,438 meters)		:(1,524 - 2,438 meters)
	\|\|		\|\|
	*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2		*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2<ref>Richalet JP, Hermand E, Lhuissier FJ. Cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology at high altitude. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2024 Feb;21(2):75-88. PMID 37783743</ref>
	\|-		\|-
	\| High Altitude\|\|8,000 - 12,000 ft		\| High Altitude\|\|8,000 - 12,000 ft
Line 46:		Line 46:
	**With continuing ascent the central chemoreceptors reset to ever lower values of PaCO2		**With continuing ascent the central chemoreceptors reset to ever lower values of PaCO2
	**Completeness of acclimatization can be gauged by partial pressure of arterial CO2		**Completeness of acclimatization can be gauged by partial pressure of arterial CO2
	**[[Acetazolamide]], which results in bicarb diuresis, can facilitate this process		**[[Acetazolamide]], which results in bicarb diuresis, can facilitate this process<ref>Luks AM, Swenson ER, Bärtsch P. Acute high-altitude sickness. Eur Respir Rev. 2017 Jan;26(143). PMID 28143879</ref>

	===Blood===		===Blood===

2024-05-01T21:32:48Z

Background

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:32, 1 May 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	==Background==		==Background==
			[[File:Altitude and air pressure & Everest.jpg\|thumb\|Relationship between total atmospheric pressure and altitude above sea level.]]
	===Altitude Stages===		===Altitude Stages===
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"

2021-10-12T17:40:21Z

Blood

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:40, 12 October 2021
Line 50:		Line 50:
	*Erythropoietin level begins to rise within 2 days of ascent to altitude		*Erythropoietin level begins to rise within 2 days of ascent to altitude
	*Takes days to weeks to significantly increase red cell mass		*Takes days to weeks to significantly increase red cell mass
	**This adaptation is not important for the ~~initial~~ initial acclimatization process		**This adaptation is not important for the initial acclimatization process

	===Fluid Balance===		===Fluid Balance===

2020-04-07T16:57:42Z

Background

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:57, 7 April 2020
Line 30:		Line 30:

	Height of Mount Everest (tallest in world): 29,035 feet (8,850 meters)		Height of Mount Everest (tallest in world): 29,035 feet (8,850 meters)

	Height of Mount Whitney (tallest in contiguous US): 14,505 feet (4,421 meters)		Height of Mount Whitney (tallest in contiguous US): 14,505 feet (4,421 meters)

			Conversion: 1 meter = ~3.28 feet [https://www.metric-conversions.org/length/meters-to-feet.htm (calculator)]

	==Physiology of Acclimatization==		==Physiology of Acclimatization==

2020-04-07T16:55:43Z

Altitude Stages

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:55, 7 April 2020
Line 28:		Line 28:
	*RV strain, intestinal malabsorption, impaired renal function, polycythemia		*RV strain, intestinal malabsorption, impaired renal function, polycythemia
	\|}		\|}

			Height of Mount Everest (tallest in world): 29,035 feet (8,850 meters)
			Height of Mount Whitney (tallest in contiguous US): 14,505 feet (4,421 meters)

	==Physiology of Acclimatization==		==Physiology of Acclimatization==

2020-03-02T20:46:58Z

Altitude Stages

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:46, 2 March 2020
Line 6:		Line 6:
	\| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"\|'''Physiology'''		\| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"\|'''Physiology'''
	\|-		\|-
	\| Intermediate Altitude \|\|5,000 - 8,~~000ft~~		\| Intermediate Altitude \|\|5,000 - 8,000 ft
	:(1,524 - 2,438 meters)		:(1,524 - 2,438 meters)
	\|\|		\|\|
	*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2		*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2
	\|-		\|-
	\| High Altitude\|\|8,000 - 12,~~000ft~~		\| High Altitude\|\|8,000 - 12,000 ft
	:(2,438 - 3,658 meters)		:(2,438 - 3,658 meters)
	\|\|		\|\|
	*Decreased SaO2 with marked impairment during exercise and sleep		*Decreased SaO2 with marked impairment during exercise and sleep
	\|-		\|-
	\| Very High Altitude \|\|12,000-18,~~000ft~~		\| Very High Altitude \|\|12,000-18,000 ft
	:(3,658 - 5,487 meters)		:(3,658 - 5,487 meters)
	\|\|		\|\|
	*Abrupt ascent can be dangerous; acclimatization is required to prevent illness		*Abrupt ascent can be dangerous; acclimatization is required to prevent illness
	\|-		\|-
	\| Extreme Altitude \|\|>18,~~000ft~~		\| Extreme Altitude \|\|>18,000 ft
	:(>5,500 meters)		:(>5,500 meters)
	\|\|		\|\|

2020-03-02T20:46:34Z

Altitude Stages

2020-03-02T20:45:17Z

Altitude Stages

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:45, 2 March 2020
Line 6:		Line 6:
	\| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"\|'''Physiology'''		\| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"\|'''Physiology'''
	\|-		\|-
	\| Intermediate Altitude \|\|5,000 - 8,000ft\|\|		\| Intermediate Altitude \|\|5,000 - 8,000ft (1,524 - 2,438 meters)\|\|
	*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2		*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2
	\|-		\|-

2020-03-02T20:43:12Z

Altitude Stages

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:43, 2 March 2020
Line 6:		Line 6:
	\| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"\|'''Physiology'''		\| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"\|'''Physiology'''
	\|-		\|-
	\| Intermediate Altitude \|\|~~5000~~-~~8000ft~~\|\|		\| Intermediate Altitude \|\|5,000 - 8,000ft\|\|
	*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2		*Decreased exercise performance without major impairment in SaO2
	\|-		\|-
	\| High Altitude\|\|~~8000~~-12,000ft\|\|		\| High Altitude\|\|8,000 - 12,000ft (2,438 - 3,658 meters)\|\|
	*Decreased SaO2 with marked impairment during exercise and sleep		*Decreased SaO2 with marked impairment during exercise and sleep
	\|-		\|-
	\| Very High Altitude \|\|12,000-18,000ft\|\|		\| Very High Altitude \|\|12,000-18,000ft (3,658 - 5,487 meters)\|\|
	*Abrupt ascent can be dangerous; acclimatization is required to prevent illness		*Abrupt ascent can be dangerous; acclimatization is required to prevent illness
	\|-		\|-
	\| Extreme Altitude \|\|>18,000ft\|\|		\| Extreme Altitude \|\|>18,000ft (>5,500 meters)\|\|
	*Only experienced by mountain climbers; accompanied by severe hypoxemia and hypocapnia		*Only experienced by mountain climbers; accompanied by severe hypoxemia and hypocapnia
	*Sustained human habitation is impossible		*Sustained human habitation is impossible

2020-03-02T19:26:28Z

High Altitude Syndromes

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:26, 2 March 2020
Line 60:		Line 60:
	**Above 10,000ft rule of thumb is to sleep no higher than 1,000 additional ft/day		**Above 10,000ft rule of thumb is to sleep no higher than 1,000 additional ft/day
	*All respond to O2/descent		*All respond to O2/descent

			{{Expected SpO2 at altitude}}

	==See Also==		==See Also==