039e671c-3887-49de-a8b5-ff1c9eceeb3b eng Ev-K2-CNR +39 035 3230511 +39 035 3230551 Via San Bernardino 145 Bergamo BG 24126 Italy metadata@evk2cnr.org http://www.evk2cnr.org/ 2011-10-25T18:26:07 ISO 19115:2003/19139 1.0 Hypoxic ventilatory response in successful extreme altitude climbers 2006-01-01T00:00:00 European Respiratory Journal 2006 ;27(1):165-71 A very high ventilatory response to hypoxia is believed necessary to reach extreme altitude without oxygen. Alternatively, the excessive ventilation could be counterproductive by exhausting the ventilatory reserve early on. To test these alternatives, 11 elite climbers (2004 Everest-K2 Italian Expedition) were evaluated as follows: 1) at sea level, and 2) at 5,200 m, after 15 days of acclimatisation at altitude. Resting oxygen saturation, minute ventilation, breathing rate, hypoxic ventilatory response, maximal voluntary ventilation, ventilatory reserve (at oxygen saturation?=?70%) and two indices of ventilatory efficiency were measured. Everest and K2 summits were reached 29 and 61 days, respectively, after the last measurement. Five climbers summited without oxygen, the other six did not, or succeeded with oxygen (two climbers). At sea level, all data were similar. At 5,200 m, the five summiters without oxygen showed lower resting minute ventilation, breathing rate and ventilatory response to hypoxia, and higher ventilatory reserve and ventilatory efficiency, compared to the other climbers.Thus, the more successful climbers had smaller responses to hypoxia during acclimatisation to 5,200 m, but, as a result, had greater available reserve for the summit. A less sensitive hypoxic response and a greater ventilatory efficiency might increase ventilatory reserve and allow sustainable ventilation in the extreme hypoxia at the summit. Luciano Bernardi Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS S.Matteo and University of Pavia 39 0382526259 P.le Golgi, 2 Pavia PV 27100 Italy lbern1ps@unipv.it www.unipv.it https://geoportal.mountaingenius.org/geonetwork/srv/eng/resources.get?uuid=039e671c-3887-49de-a8b5-ff1c9eceeb3b&fname=mountain_witness__s.png thumbnail png SHARE Altitude ventilatory efficiency ventilatory control ventilation hypoxia Everest K2 eng health 80.0522 88.1946 26.3684 30.4247 http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/27/1/165.short WWW:LINK-1.0-http--related Abstract:"Hypoxic ventilatory response in successful extreme altitude climbers." https://geoportal.mountaingenius.org/webapp/srv/en/resources.get?id=28708&fname=Hypoxic_ventilatory_response_in_successful_extreme_altitude_climbers.pdf&access=private WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-http--download Hypoxic_ventilatory_response_in_successful_extreme_altitude_climbers.pdf Full Text(pdf):"Hypoxic ventilatory response in successful extreme altitude climbers." “Hypoxic ventilatory response in successful extreme altitude climbers” L. Bernardi , A. Schneider , L. Pomidori , E. Paolucci and A. Cogo Eur Respir J 2006; 27: 165–171 DOI: 10.1183/09031936.06.00015805 Copyright ERS Journals Ltd 2006