5.2. Altitude effects

Question 1

What is barometric pressure?

Answer 1

the pressure exerted by the earth’s atmosphere at any given point

Question 2

What is altitude?

Answer 2

the height or elevation of an area above sea level

Question 3

Why is it harder to breathe in oxygen as altitude increases?

Answer 3

as altitude increases, barometric pressure decreases so ppo2 decreases

Question 4

How does altitude effect to diffusion of o2 into the blood?

Answer 4

There is a smaller difference in ppo2 gradient between the atmosphere and deoxygenated blood.

Therefore it’s harder for the oxygen molecules to cross the alveolar membrane and get into the bloodstream to be able to deliver oxygen to the muscle cells

Question 5

What are the effects of altitude?

Answer 5

• BREATHING RATE INCREASES -> breathing frequency increases both at rest and during exercise in an attempt to maintain o2 consumption
• BLOOD VOLUME DECREASES -> plasma volume decreases by up to 25% to increase the density of RBCs in attempt to maximise o2 transportation
• STROKE VOLUME DECREASES -> within the first few hours at altitude, SV decreases during submax exercise which increases HR to maintain and slightly raise Q
• MAXIMAL Q, SV AND HR DECREASES -> these decrease with altitude during maximum intensity exercise
• AEROBIC CAPACITY AND VO2 MAX DECREASES -> aerobic capacity and vo2 max are reduced which impacts on intensity and duration of which an athlete can perform