Respiration at Rest and During Exercise at Sea Level and High Altitude

Abstract

This chapter describes the physiological changes that occur when the organism is subjected to physical exercise, from resting state, at sea level and at high altitude. In particular, it focuses on compensatory mechanisms that regulate major respiratory functions, such as: gas exchange, ventilation-perfusion distribution, tissue oxygenation, pulmonary and systemic circulation, and acid-base balance. In addition, mechanisms involved in acclimatization to high altitude, acute and chronic mountain sickness, and adaptation to high altitude are briefly described.

Keywords: Acid-Base Balance, Acute Mountain-Sickness, Alkalosis, Chronic Mountain-Sickness, Exercise, High-Altitude Acclimatization, High-Altitude Adaptation, High-Altitude Oxygen-Pressure, Hypocapnia, Hypoxia, Hypoxic Vasoconstriction, Joint Receptors, Metaboreceptors, Pulmonary Circulation, Pulmonary Edema, Pulmonary Hypertension, Shunt Fraction, Systemic Circulation, Ventilation-Perfusion Distribution, Ventilation-Perfusion Maldistribution.