Chapter 24 - Physical Activity at Medium and High Altitude Flashcards
What are the effects of being at near sea-level altitude?
No Effects On:
- Well-being
- Performance
What is considered near sea-level altitude?
- Below 500m
What is considered low altitude?
- 500-2000m
What are the effects of low altitude/
- No effect on well-being
- Performance may be diminished
At what level of low altitude might athletes performance be diminished?
- above 1500m
How might performance decrements seen in low-altitude be overcome?
- Acclimatization
What level is moderate altitude?
- 2000m-3000m
What effects are seen at moderate altitudes?
- Well-being effects on unacclimated individuals
- Decreased maximal aerobic capacity and performance
Can optimal performance at moderate altitude be restored?
- may or may not be restored with acclimatization
What level is considered high altitude?
- 3000-5500m
What are the effects of high altitude?
- Adverse health effects in most individuals
- Significant performance decrements even with full acclimatization
What does the physiologic challenges at high altitude come from?
- decreased ambient partial pressure of oxygen (Po2)
What does the oxygen transport cascade refer to?
- Progressive changes in the environment’s O2 pressure and body areas
What does the oxygen transport cascade represent?
- Oxygen cascade at different elevations
What must air that we inspire be?
- Warmed and humidified
What is the partial pressure of water at body temperature?
- 47mmHg
What does alveolar Po2 determine by?
- The removal of O2 into the pulmonary capillary blood and the addition of O2 from ventilation
What is the slight decrease in Po2 between alveolar air and arterial blood?
- 5mmHg
What is the Po2 of 40mmHg in mixed-venous blood due to?
- Tissue oxygen use
What are some possible well-being effects at 1500m?
- Lightheadedness
- Headaches
What are some possible well-being effects at 3000m?
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Vomitting
- Pulmonary Discomfort
What are some possible well-being effects at 4000m?
- Dyspnea
- Anorexia
- GI disturbances
What are some possible well-being effects at 6000m?
- Lethargy
- General Weakness
What are some possible well-being effects at 8000m?
- Impending collapse
How much does air temperature decrease with ascent?
- About 1C per 150m
What is the average temperature near the summit of Mount Everest?
-40C
What poses a serious risk of cold-related disorders at altitude?
- Low temperature
- Low ambient water vapor pressure
- High winds
How does the extremely low partial pressure of water at high altitude lead to dehydration?
- Evaporation of moisture from skin surface due to the large gradient between skin and air
At what point would there be a significant change in hemoglobin percent saturation with O2?
- approx 3000m
What happens to hemoglobin oxygenation when you transition from moderate to higher altitudes?
- Dramatic decrease
- Negative affect on mild-intensity aerobic exercise
Define Acclimatization
- Refers to adaptations produced by changes in the natural environment, whether through a change in season or place of residence.
Define Acclimation
- Adaptations produced in a controlled laboratory environment
What does altitude acclimatization describe?
- adaptive responses in physiology and metabolism that improve tolerance to altitude hypoxia
What is the response to immediate exposure of elevations >2300m?
- Rapid physiologic adjustments to compensate for thinner air and the accompanying reduction in alveolar PO2
What are some important immediate adjustments made in response to elevations above 2300m?
Increase
- respiratory drive to produce hyperventilation
- Blood flow during rest and submaximal exercise
What does hyperventilation from reduced arterial Po2 reflect?
- Significant immediate response to native low-landers to altitude exposure
What does a hyperventilation response to high altitudes do?
- Hypoxic drive increases
When does an increase in hypoxic drive increase? How long does it remain elevated?
When
- First few weeks
How Long
- A year or longer during prolonged exposure
What happens to resting blood pressure in early stages of altitude adaptation?
- Increases
What happens to submaximal exercise heart rate and cardiac output in altitude?
- Rises to 50% above sea level values
What happens to stroke volume at submaximal exercise in altitude?
- Remains unchanged
What compensates for arterial desaturation at altitude?
- Increased submaximal exercise blood flow
What happens to the sympathoadrenal activity during rest and exercise with altitude?
- Progressively increases over time
What coincides with increased blood pressure and heart rate at altitude?
A steady rise in:
- Plasma levels
- Excretion rates of epinephrine
What does an increased sympathoadrenal activity in altitude contribute to?
Regulation of:
- Blood pressure
- Vascular resistance
- Substrate mixture during short- and long-term hypobaric exposure
Sketch the Catecholamine Response of Altitude?
- Check Notes
Sketch the Comparison of O2 Cost and Relative Strenuousness of submaximal exercise at sea level and altitude
- Check Notes
Sketch the comparison of cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses during exercise at Sea Level and Altitude
- Check Notes
What allows body water to evaporate as inspired air becomes warmed and moistened in respiratory passages?
- Ambient air in mountainous regions remains cool and dry
What leads to moderate dehydration and accompanying dryness of lips, mouth, and throat at high altitudes?
- Fluid loss