Abstract
The heart rate response to exercise was studied in 17 normal subjects before, during and after a 21-day Himalayan trek to 5490 m. The group were fitter before the trek when compared to normal subjects of a similar age (P less than 0.001) having a lower heart rate response to exercise for their lean body mass. The trek significantly increased the 'fitness' of the group as a whole (P less than 0.025) but this was not seen in the 5 members of the group who had severe acute mountain sickness. Similar changes were noted within the first 8 days of the trek before symptoms of mountain sickness occurred. The group had normal pulmonary function before the trek but peak expiratory flow rate and vital capacity decreased with altitude. The effect was more marked in the subjects with acute mountain sickness.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Clausen J. P. Effect of physical training on cardiovascular adjustments to exercise in man. Physiol Rev. 1977 Oct;57(4):779–815. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1977.57.4.779. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cotes J. E. Response to progressive exercise: a three-index test. Br J Dis Chest. 1972 Jul;66(3):169–184. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FLETCHER R. F. The measurement of total body fat with skinfold calipers. Clin Sci. 1962 Jun;22:333–346. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fletcher R. F. Birmingham Medical Research Expeditionary Society 1977 Expedition: signs and symptoms. Postgrad Med J. 1979 Jul;55(645):461–463. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.55.645.461. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- RAHN H., HAMMOND D. Vital capacity at reduced barometric pressure. J Appl Physiol. 1952 Mar;4(9):715–724. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1952.4.9.715. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Singh I., Khanna P. K., Srivastava M. C., Lal M., Roy S. B., Subramanyam C. S. Acute mountain sickness. N Engl J Med. 1969 Jan 23;280(4):175–184. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196901232800402. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Spiro S. G., Juniper E., Bowman P., Edwards R. H. An increasing work rate test for assessing the physiological strain of submaximal exercise. Clin Sci Mol Med. 1974 Feb;46(2):191–206. doi: 10.1042/cs0460191. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]