title: The exercising heart at altitude.
abstract: Maximal cardiac output is reduced in severe acute hypoxia but also in chronic hypoxia by mechanisms that remain poorly understood. In theory, the reduction of maximal cardiac output could result from: (1) a regulatory response from the central nervous system, (2) reduction of maximal pumping capacity of the heart due to insufficient coronary oxygen delivery prior to the achievement of the normoxic maximal cardiac output, or (3) reduced central command. In this review, we focus on the effects that acute and chronic hypoxia have on the pumping capacity of the heart, particularly on myocardial contractility and the molecular responses elicited by acute and chronic hypoxia in the cardiac myocytes. Special emphasis is put on the cardioprotective effects of chronic hypoxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. lopezcalbet@gmail.com
authors.forename: José A L
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Calbet
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robach
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lundby
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control