Publications by authors named "L Muralt"
Background: In patients with COPD, preventive treatment with acetazolamide reduces adverse health effects during altitude travel. We investigated whether preventive acetazolamide treatment modifies exercise performance in COPD patients going to high altitude.
Methods: In this randomised, double-blind trial, lowlanders with COPD, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV) 40-80% predicted, were assigned to acetazolamide (375 mg per 24 h) or placebo treatment starting 24 h before ascent and while staying at 3100 m.
Hypoxia and old age impair postural control and may therefore enhance the risk of accidents. We investigated whether acetazolamide, the recommended drug for prevention of acute mountain sickness, may prevent altitude-induced deterioration of postural control in older persons. In this parallel-design trial, 95 healthy volunteers, 40 years of age or older, living <1,000 m, were randomized to preventive therapy with acetazolamide (375 mg/d) or placebo starting 24 h before and during a 2-day sojourn at 3,100 m.
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- A study was conducted to determine the effects of moderate altitude exposure on visuomotor performance in healthy adults aged 40 and older while exploring if acetazolamide could mitigate these effects.
- The trial included 59 participants, who were given either acetazolamide or a placebo before and during their time at a high altitude of 3100m, with performance assessed through a computer test measuring directional error in a cursor tracking task.
- Results showed that visuomotor performance declined at high altitude compared to lower altitudes, but acetazolamide significantly improved performance metrics, indicating it may help counteract altitude-related visuomotor impairments.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated if high altitude negatively affects visuomotor learning in lowlanders with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and whether acetazolamide can prevent these effects.
- 45 COPD patients were divided to receive either acetazolamide or a placebo during a 2-day stay at 3100 m, and their visuomotor performance was measured at different altitudes.
- Results showed that patients receiving placebo had significantly increased directional errors at high altitude, while those taking acetazolamide demonstrated reduced impairments, indicating that the medication can help mitigate altitude-related deficits in visuomotor tasks.
Effects of prolonged and repeated high-altitude exposure on oxygenation and control of breathing remain uncertain. We hypothesized that prolonged and repeated high-altitude exposure will improve altitude-induced deoxygenation and breathing instability. 21 healthy lowlanders, aged 18-30y, underwent two 7-day sojourns at a high-altitude station in Chile (4-8 hrs/day at 5,050 m, nights at 2,900 m), separated by a 1-week recovery period at 520 m.
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