title: Effect of hypoxia on arterial potassium concentration at rest and during exercise in man.
abstract: Hypoxia has been reported to increase arterial potassium concentration ([K+]a) in anaesthetized cats (Paterson, Estavillo & Nye, 1988). The purpose of this study was to determine whether this phenomenon occurs in humans. The effect of hypoxia on [K+]a was measured in ten male subjects, at rest and during light exercise, before and after 8 weeks of physical training. The [K+]a increased by 0.15 +/- 0.04 mM (mean +/- S.E.M.) at rest, when end-tidal PO2 (PET,O2) was lowered from 100 to 51 +/- 1.6 Torr, and by 0.10 +/- 0.02 mM during exercise, when PET,O2 was lowered from 100 to 66 +/- 6.2 Torr. Physical training did not alter the rise in [K+]a significantly. The magnitude of this effect is small in comparison with that of exercise-induced hyperkalaemia, and is unlikely to be of great physiological significance at moderate levels of hypoxia.
authors.affiliation: University Laboratory of Physiology, Oxford.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Qayyum
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Robbins
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010313:Partial Pressure; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D012146:Rest; D013990:Tidal Volume
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium; D010100:Oxygen