High-altitude physiology and pathophysiology: implications and relevance for intensive care medicine.
Cellular hypoxia is a fundamental mechanism of injury in the critically ill. The study of human responses to hypoxia occurring as a consequence of hypobaria defines the fields of high-altitude medicine and physiology. A new paradigm suggests that the physiological and pathophysiological responses to extreme environmental challenges (for example, hypobaric hypoxia, hyperbaria, microgravity, cold, heat) may be similar to responses seen in critical illness. The present review explores the idea that human responses to the hypoxia of high altitude may be used as a means of exploring elements of the pathophysiology of critical illness.
Grocott
Michael
M
Centre for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE Medicine), UCL Institute of Human Health and Performance, UCL Archway Campus, Highgate Hill, London, UK. mike.grocott@ucl.ac.uk
Montgomery
Hugh
H
Vercueil
Andre
A
D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics
C488034:ACE protein, human; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A