Effect of intermittent altitude hypoxia on the myocardium and lesser circulation in the rat

Abstract

The effect of intermittent altitude hypoxia on the myocardium and lesser circulation was investigated in 58 rats. The altitude hypoxia was produced with a low pressure chamber (7,000 m, five days a week, four hours daily). This type of intermittent altitude hypoxia led to right ventricular hypertrophy in all animals after 24 exposures. A chronic pulmonary hypertension of a moderate degree was found even after intermittent altitude hypoxia (75 exposures). In this study, histological changes (focal necroses in both left and right ventricle) were observed.