chronic mountain sickness

[Turtlez]

chronic mountain sickness: Why does it cause CHF and decrease in peripheral arterial pressure?

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[Handinhand]

I would guess that the because of the decrease partial pressure of oxygen at higher elevation, your kidneys will compensate by pumping out high levels of EPO, which results in a polycythemia. This increase in RBC mass will thicken your blood, and if it's chronically more viscous than normal it will essentially be seen as hypertension by the heart, which will work harder with every beat to pump the viscous blood, leading to an early heart failure.

 

[EazyE1907]

chronic mountain sickness: Why does it cause CHF and decrease in peripheral arterial pressure?

The way I think about it is, You have hypoxic vasoconstriction of the lung capillaries 2ndary to decreased PaO2. This will eventually lead to increased pressure within the lung vascualture (increased pul vascular resistance and increased pulmonary artery pressure) , The right heart would have to pump against a greater pressure gradient to open the valves leading to RVH. leading to R.sided Heart failure or CHF.

I would guess that the because of the decrease partial pressure of oxygen at higher elevation, your kidneys will compensate by pumping out high levels of EPO, which results in a polycythemia. This increase in RBC mass will thicken your blood, and if it's chronically more viscous than normal it will essentially be seen as hypertension by the heart, which will work harder with every beat to pump the viscous blood, leading to an early heart failure.

sounds good, but not sure about the EPO hypothesis.

 

[tantacles]

The way I think about it is, You have hypoxic vasoconstriction of the lung capillaries 2ndary to decreased PaO2. This will eventually lead to increased pressure within the lung vascualture (increased pul vascular resistance and increased pulmonary artery pressure) , The right heart would have to pump against a greater pressure gradient to open the valves leading to RVH. leading to R.sided Heart failure or CHF.



sounds good, but not sure about the EPO hypothesis.

Hypoxic polycythemia is a chronic compensatory mechanism for increased altitude.

 

[EazyE1907]

Indeed. However, the OP's original question was not about why there is increased EPO in altitude sickness. He/she asked why you would get CHF in altitude sickness.