title: Novel Insights into Cardiovascular Regulation in Patients with Chronic Mountain Sickness.
abstract: Studies of high-altitude populations, and in particular of maladapted subgroups, may provide important insight into underlying mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hypoxemia-related disease in general. Chronic mountain sickness (CMS) is a major public health problem in mountainous regions of the world affecting many millions of high-altitude dwellers. It is characterized by exaggerated chronic hypoxemia, erythrocytosis, and mild pulmonary hypertension. In later stages these patients often present with right heart failure and are predisposed to systemic cardiovascular disease, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we present recent new data providing insight into underlying mechanisms that may cause these complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Swiss Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland. stefano.rimoldi@insel.ch.|Department of Internal Medicine, Botnar Center for Extreme Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, CHUV, Switzerland. stefano.rimoldi@insel.ch.
authors.forename: Stefano F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Rimoldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Swiss Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.|Department of Internal Medicine, Botnar Center for Extreme Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, CHUV, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Emrush
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rexhaj
authors.affiliation: Instituto Boliviano de Biologia de Altura, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villena
authors.affiliation: Instituto Boliviano de Biologia de Altura, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Carlos Salinas
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Swiss Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Allemann
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Swiss Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.|Department of Internal Medicine, Botnar Center for Extreme Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, CHUV, Switzerland.|Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile.
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Scherrer
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Botnar Center for Extreme Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, CHUV, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sartori
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000473:pathology*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D014661:Vasoconstriction
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Chronic hypoxemia; Endothelial function; Intima-media thickness; Nitric oxide; Oxidative stress