title: Altitude-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension on One-Day Rapid Ascent of Mount Fuji: Incidence and Therapeutic Effects of Sildenafil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Exposure to high altitudes especially with rapid ascent may induce hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) possibly leading to life-threatening high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of PH on a 1-day rapid ascent up Mount Fuji (3775 m) in recreational climbers and also to determine the effectiveness of sildenafil for this rapid ascent-induced PH as measured by echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five subjects who climbed Mount Fuji showed significantly increased pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) from 22.3 ± 5.3 mmHg at sea level to 29.4 ± 8.7 mmHg at 3775 m. Five subjects showed PASP >35 mmHg (35.6-46.2 mmHg, average 42.0 ± 3.9 mmHg) and took oral sildenafil 50 mg after which PASP decreased significantly to 24.5 ± 4.6 mmHg (18.7-31.0 mmHg) after 30 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One-day rapid ascent of Mount Fuji may induce mild-to-moderate PH and intervention with sildenafil can reduce this PH, suggesting that the therapeutic use of sildenafil would be more reasonable for the relatively infrequent occurrence of altitude-induced PH than its prophylactic use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiino
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuchika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate
keywords: altitude illness; echocardiography; pulmonary artery pressure