Alveolar flooding at high altitude: failure of reabsorption?

Heimo Mairbäurl, Sabine Höschele

Journal: News in physiological sciences : an international journal of physiology produced jointly by the International Union of Physiological Sciences and the American Physiological Society 2003;18():55-9

PMID: 12644620

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Abstract

Na-driven fluid reabsorption prevents alveolar fluid accumulation. Hypoxia augments fluid filtration by hemodynamic effects and inhibits Na reabsorption in cultured cells. A combination of both effects in vivo causes alveolar flooding, edema, thickening of the diffusion barrier for oxygen, and hypoxemia, a life-threatening situation for mountaineers in remote high-altitude mountain ranges.

Address: Medical Clinic and Policlinic, Internal Medicine VII, Sports Medicine, University of Heidelberg, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany.

DOI: 10.1152/nips.01421.2002

MeSH Terms: Absorption, Altitude Sickness, Erythrocytes, Humans, Hypoxia, Mountaineering, Pulmonary Alveoli, Pulmonary Edema, Sodium