Effects of High Altitude on the Body
High altitude has long been known to have effects on humans. High altitude is classified as being between 1500 meters to 3500 meters above sea level; very high altitude is classified as being between 3500 meters to 5500 meters, while extreme altitude is anything above 5500 meters (Wilkerson 1). At sea level oxygen in the air is at approximately 21% and barometric pressure is 760mmHg, when altitude increases to 5000 feet barometric pressure now becomes 483mmHg with 40% fewer oxygen molecules per breath (Curtis 2). With this being the case oxygen density is going down while carbon dioxide levels are increasing, both of these things combined, forces the heart rates along with exhalation rates to increase in order to rid itself of increased amounts of carbon dioxide that are being inhaled. When carbon dioxide levels are higher in the body it produces more sodium bicarbonate in the bladder, the body must increase bladder activity to rid itself of these compounds. Inc!reased appetite is another effect high altitude has on a person; your body must increase its appetite because it is working harder to get oxygen through out your body, that it requires more energy intake in the form of food (Eccles 2). The key to being
HACE is the swelling of the brain due to excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain (Washburn 1-2). The first major illness that affects people who go to high altitude is Acute Mountain Sickness or more commonly known as AMS. Between 2000 meters and 3000 meters ascent should not exceed 400 meters a day, but above 3000 meters ascent should not exceed 300 meters per day. One way to measure altitude sickness is by oxygen saturation (SaO2) by the way of pulse oxi!metry. HACE can be fatal in a few hours if treatment is not administered quickly, it may also lead to brain damage. The body increases hematocrit (concentration of red blood cells), produces more of a particular enzyme that facilitates, and releases oxygen from hemoglobin to body tissues, these are all changes to try and carry more oxygen throughout the body (Curtis 2). Symptoms tend to worsen at night due to decrease in respiration. No specific factors such as age, gender, or physical condition have an effect on who becomes ill at high altitudes some do and some don't (Curtis 2). Symptoms start 12 - 24 hours after arrival and decrease in severity by the 3rd day. Normal physiologic changes that occur during acclimazation are hyperventilation, shortness of breath, increased urination, !changes in breathing patterns at night, awake frequently at night, and weird dreams (Dietz 1-2). Climb high sleep low, climb up to 305 meters a day but go back to lower altitude for rest. Carbon dioxide is the key signal to the brain to breathe, so with the different levels of carbon dioxide in the blood it may confuse the brain, which causes periodic breathing (Dietz 2). Descent is the number one prescribed treatment for any altitude sickness. Periodic breathing is cycles of normal breathing - breath holding - accelerated breathing, these are caused by the differ!ence of carbon dioxide in the blood. It is caused by severe pulmonary hypertension upon short-term exposure to altitude, which has been hypothesized to cause a pressure induced fluid leak into the alveolar valve of the lung ("High Altitude Pulmonary" 1).
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