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Alveolar flooding at high altitude: failure of reabsorption?
Sabine Höschele1, Heimo Mairbäurl
1Medical Clinic and Policlinic, Internal Medicine VII, Sports Medicine, University of Heidelberg, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany.
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.