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The effects of high altitude on humans are mostly the consequences of reduced partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere. The medical problems that are direct consequence of high altitude are caused by the low inspired partial pressure of oxygen, which is caused by the reduced atmospheric pressure, and the constant gas fraction of oxygen in ...
High-altitude adaptation in humans is an instance of evolutionary modification in certain human populations, including those of Tibet in Asia, the Andes of the Americas, and Ethiopia in Africa, who have acquired the ability to survive at altitudes above 2,500 meters (8,200 ft). [1]
A person that stays for a period of time at higher altitudes acclimates, producing fewer effects over the human body. [3] There are several mechanisms that help with acclimation, which are an increase of pulmonary ventilation, higher erythrocytes levels, increase of the pulmonary diffusion capacity and increase of the vascularization of the ...
Altitude sickness, the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is a harmful effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] People's bodies can respond to high altitude in different ways.
High-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is a medical condition in which the brain swells with fluid because of the physiological effects of traveling to a high altitude. It generally appears in patients who have acute mountain sickness and involves disorientation, lethargy, and nausea among other symptoms.
Smoking drastically reduces oxygen intake efficiency, and can have the effect of reducing tolerance by 1,000–2,000 metres (3,300–6,600 ft). [4] Hypoxia can be produced in a hypobaric chamber. This can be useful for identifying individual symptoms of hypoxia, along with rough estimates of the altitude that causes problems for each person.
The Armstrong limit or Armstrong's line is a measure of altitude above which atmospheric pressure is sufficiently low that water boils at the normal temperature of the human body. Exposure to pressure below this limit results in a rapid loss of consciousness, followed by a series of changes to cardiovascular and neurological functions, and ...
The higher the altitude, the more likely are serious effects. [10] The human body can adapt to high altitude by breathing faster, having a higher heart rate, and adjusting its blood chemistry. [19] [20] It can take days or weeks to adapt to high altitude.