Table 1.
Demographic and cardiovascular function in Lowlanders and Sherpa at low and high altitudes
| Lowlanders |
Sherpa |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 344 m (n = 14) | 5,050 m (n = 14) | 5,050 m + Oxygen (n = 7) | 5,050 m (n = 8) | |
| Subject demographics | ||||
| Age, yr | 27 ± 6 | 27 ± 6 | 30 ± 8 | 32 ± 13 |
| Height, m | 1.77 ± 0.8 | 1.77 ± 0.8 | 1.79 ± 0.06 | 1.68 ± 0.08 |
| Weight, kg | 72.2 ± 10.1 | 69.4 ± 8.6 | 69.3 ± 10.3 | 63.7 ± 10.1 |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 23.1 ± 2.8 | 22.2 ± 2.5 | 21.5 ± 2.9 | 22.8 ± 3.5 |
| Resting cardiovascular function | ||||
| Heart rate, beats/min | 61 ± 15 | 70 ± 15† | 62 ± 10‡ | 71 ± 5†§ |
| SpO2, % | 98 ± 1 | 82 ± 3† | 96 ± 1‡ | 83 ± 4†§ |
| Systolic pressure, mmHg | 119 ± 9 | 113 ± 13 | 113 ± 8 | 111 ± 9 |
| Diastolic pressure, mmHg | 66 ± 7 | 70 ± 10 | 71 ± 8 | 65 ± 8 |
| Mean pressure, mmHg | 84 ± 8 | 86 ± 11 | 89 ± 7 | 84 ± 9 |
| Cardiac output, l/min* | 5.9 ± 1.8 | 5.5 ± 1.4 | 5.1 ± 1.1 | 6.0 ± 1.7 |
| Total peripheral resistance* | 15 ± 4 | 17 ± 4 | 19 ± 7 | 16 ± 7 |
*
Values calculated using Model Flow.
†
Significantly different from Lowlanders tested at low altitude (344 m), P < 0.05.
‡
Significantly different from Lowlanders tested at high altitude (5,050 m), P < 0.05.
§
Significantly different from Lowlanders during hyperoxia (5,050 m + oxygen), P < 0.05.