ABSTRACT

More than half a century has passed since man first stood on the summit of Mount Everest, and the story of man's attempts to climb higher and higher unaided is one of the more colourful and exciting in medicine and physiology. The past few decades have seen an explosion in the interest in mountain pursuits in general, as increasing numbers of peopl

chapter 1|14 pages

History

chapter 2|12 pages

The atmosphere

chapter 4|12 pages

Altitude acclimatization and deterioration

chapter 6|18 pages

Pulmonary gas exchange

chapter 7|18 pages

Cardiovascular system

chapter 8|14 pages

Hematology

chapter 10|14 pages

Peripheral tissues

chapter 11|16 pages

Exercise

chapter 12|16 pages

Limiting factors at extreme altitude

chapter 13|12 pages

Sleep

chapter 15|18 pages

Endocrine and renal systems at altitude

chapter 16|14 pages

Central nervous system

chapter 17|16 pages

High altitude populations

chapter 18|20 pages

Acute mountain sickness

chapter 19|8 pages

High altitude cerebral edema

chapter 20|20 pages

High altitude pulmonary edema

chapter 24|12 pages

Pre-existing medical conditions at altitude

chapter 25|4 pages

Women at altitude

chapter 28|8 pages

Athletes and altitude

chapter 29|10 pages

Clinical lessons from high altitude

chapter 30|10 pages

Practicalities of field studies