Abstract
The variability in sensitivity to acute mountain sickness among individuals is a phenomenon
well known to physicians and high altitude alpinists. The measurement of cardiac and
respiratory responses to hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.115) at rest and during exercise (50% V̇O2max) allows the detection of those subjects who are more liable to suffer from high
altitude diseases. In a retrospective study performed on 288 subjects evaluated with
a hypoxic test during a Mountain medicine consultation, we found that the most clinically
susceptible subjects had at least one abnormal response to the hypoxic tests, especially
during exercise. The observation of one or several abnormal values in cardiac or respiratory
responses to hypoxia leads us to advise a modification in the alpine or trekking objective,
an increase in the acclimatization time and/or prevention by acetazolamide.
Key words
Altitude - acute mountain sickness - hypoxic ventilatory drive - hypoxic cardiac drive
