[The protective effect of selenium on acute myocardial hypoxia at high altitude]

The protective effect of selenium on acute myocardial hypoxia due to exposure to high altitude were studied by light microscope and transmission, electron microscope. The blood concentration of selenium of Wistar Rats given with sodium selenium were examined by fluorometry began from lower altitude area and were killed after reaching each correspondent elevation areas. The experiment was similar to that human 'laddering Mounting' to high altitude. The results showed that myocardial lesions were less in the animals to which sodium selenium were given than those not given, and it was not easily detected. The blood selenium concentration was significantly higher in the former than the latter (P greater than 0.01). This suggest that the selenium has unprotective effect on acute cardiac hypoxia of rats exposed to high altitude, its protective mechanism is discussed in this paper.