A 32-year-old man who lives below sea level plans to visit the Mount Everest base camp at an elevation of 5,334 m (17,500 ft). After 8 days of hiking to reach the base of camp he looks fatigued and dyspneic otherwise. Which of the following physiologic changes has most likely occurred in this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: People traveling to elevations >2500 m (8000 ft) can develop high-altitude illness, characterized by hypobaric hypoxia with the potential to develop life-threatening cerebral and/or pulmonary edema.  Key adaptive responses to hypoxemia include hyperventilation to increase blood oxygenation and increased synthesis of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate in erythrocytes (facilitating oxygen offloading into peripheral tissues).

A 32-Year-Old Man Who Lives Below Sea Level Plans to Visit