title: [Every mountain too high when Nausea strikes: gastrointestinal function at high altitude].
abstract: For people unaccustomed to high altitude, exposure to height often leads to Acute Mountain Sickness, with headaches, difficulty breathing and gastrointestinal symptoms. Nausea and loss of appetite may result in less calorie intake and weight loss. At altitudes greater than 4000 m about 50-80% of people are affected. After only short exposure, gastrointestinal mucosal lesions can occur, potentially leading to gastrointestinal bleeding and lessened hunger. Patients with inflammatory bowel disorders may develop an acute exacerbation. At high altitude, an induction of numerous metabolic processes can be observed, including increased iron absorption. While the pathophysiology of hypobaric hypoxia has been well documented for the respiratory and cardiovascular system, this Mini-Review summarizes the current literature concerning the gastrointestinal function in high altitude.
authors.affiliation: Departement Innere Medizin und Spezialdisziplinen, Abteilung für Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Stadtspital Triemli; Klinik für Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Universitätsspital Zürich.
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frühauf
mesh_terms: D000472:Alkalosis, Respiratory / Q000503:physiopathology; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: Hypoxie; Höhenaufenthalt; Höhenkrankheit; Magen-Darm-Funktion; acute mountain sickness; altitude; fonction gastrointestinale; gastrointestinal function; high altitude; hypoxia; hypoxie; hémorragie gastrointestinale haute; mal aigu des montagnes; obere gastrointestinale Blutung; upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding