Changes in the pulmonary circulation due to gravitational loads in high altitude conditions.

Background: The impact of gravity on the existence of all living things has long been of interest to scientists. The force of the Earth's gravity combined with hypoxia significantly affects blood circulation and blood accumulation in various parts of the human and animal body. To date, the relationship between body position and blood circulation in pulmonary circulation under hypobaric hypoxia has not been sufficiently studied.

Objectives: Therefore, the research aims to determine the possibility of changing the body position in space on the reactions in the pulmonary circulation in the plains and highlands.

Methods: For this purpose, research was conducted on male Wistar rats, 44 of whom spent 150 days at an altitude of 3200 m above sea level, and 25 representatives of the control group - at an altitude of 164 m.

Results: The study revealed that gravitational redistribution of blood in mountainous conditions is less pronounced compared to the control group. This is explained by the remodeling of the vascular wall and an increase in its stiffness. It was found that a change in pulmonary artery pressure at the time of a change in body position was recorded both on the plains and in the highlands. On the plains, when the body position of rats was changed to passive orthostatic, a decrease in systolic and diastolic pulmonary artery pressure was noted, and when the body position was changed to passive anti-orthostatic, an increase in pulmonary artery pressure was observed. The increase in pulmonary artery pressure was a compensatory mechanism due to the increased stiffness of the pulmonary vasculature.

Conclusions: The practical significance of this research is to expand the understanding of the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension in high-altitude hypoxia.