Sildenafil and bosentan improve arterial oxygenation during acute hypoxic exercise: a controlled laboratory trial.

Objectives: Sildenafil and, recently, bosentan have been reported to increase arterial saturation and exercise capacity at altitude. The mechanisms behind this are still poorly defined but may be related to attenuation of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) and improved gas exchange. This study was designed to examine and compare the effect of sildenafil and bosentan on pulmonary gas exchange during acute hypoxic exercise in a controlled laboratory setting.

Effects of modern ski equipment on the overall injury rate and the pattern of injury location in Alpine skiing.

Objective: To identify whether the introduction of carving skis and related equipment has altered the overall injury rate and/or the pattern of injury location.

Design: Comparative case series.

Setting: In the winter season of 1997-98, when carving skis began to appear on the ski market, all injured skiers requiring evacuation or medical treatment in 70 Austrian ski areas were recorded.

[Application of CPAP improves oxygenation during normobaric and hypobaric hypoxia].

This pilot project was performed to investigate the possible application of a portable CPAP helmet (continuous positive airway pressure) to treat high altitude diseases. Arterial oxygen saturation increased from 80.6 +/- 3.

Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among alpine skiers and hikers in the Austrian Alps.

Mountain sports, especially hiking and alpine skiing, are very popular. It is speculated that a high percentage of hikers and skiers are older and have cardiovascular diseases, but little is known about the real frequency of cardiovascular diseases in mountaineers and skiers. The goal of this study was to provide data on the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (coronary artery disease with and without myocardial infarction, hypertension, and arrhythmias) of a representative sample of hikers and skiers in the Austrian Alps.

Prediction of susceptibility to acute mountain sickness by SaO2 values during short-term exposure to hypoxia.

Prediction of the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS) in individuals going to high altitudes is still a matter of debate. Whereas some studies found that subjects with a blunted hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) are predisposed to AMS, others did not. However, the HVR has often been determined under very acute (5 to 10 min) isocapnic hypoxia without consideration of the subsequent hypoxic ventilatory decline (HVD), and the assessment of AMS susceptibility was based on a single altitude exposure.

Beta-blockers may provoke oxygen desaturation during submaximal exercise at moderate altitudes in elderly persons.

Frequency of therapeutic beta-blocker use in elderly mountaineers is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this field study was to measure the regular beta-blocker intake in elderly persons visiting moderate altitudes. In a subset of mountaineers on beta-blockers, exercise response at two different altitude levels was compared to matched controls.