High Altitude Physiology and Medicine

Knowledge of the physiology and pathophysiology that occurs at high altitude is important as many people visit high altitude destinations both for work and leisure pursuits. The hypobaric environment encountered at high altitude leads to a reduction in the partial pressure of oxygen in the air. The physiological consequence of this is hypoxemia, which triggers a series of adaptations that together are termed acclimatization. Failure to acclimatize adequately may lead to an altitude-related illness, which can be life-threatening. A number of chronic medical conditions may impact an individual’s performance and health at high altitude.