Effect of High Altitude on Cardiovascular Parameters among Permanent Natives of Ladakh
Journal Title: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY - Year 2018, Vol 6, Issue 7
Abstract
Background: The study undertaken involved finding the effect of high altitude on cardiovascular parameters in a sample of 100 subjects of Ladakh divided into four groups, of age range 1–60 years with normal health, who migrate to lowland area (Jammu) during winter for 1–2 months and the results so obtained were compared with equal number of healthy residents of Jammu (control group). Materials and Methods: Standard procedures were used. Blood pressure (BP) was recorded using a sphygmomanometer, pulse rate by the palpatory method and respiratory rate by counting the number of breaths for 1 min (observing how many times the chest and abdomen rises). Results: It was found that the resting mean pulse rate in all the groups of high altitude subjects was higher on day 1 than at 2 months (almost equal to the control group) which was statistically highly significant. The difference in mean pulse rate between high altitude males and females was statistically non‑significant. Furthermore, the elderly subjects showed a decreased mean pulse rate compared to the young subjects (mean pulse rate of Groups I, II, III, and IV males was 77 ± 2.6, 73.5 ± 2.6, 69.5 ± 1.8, and 64.1 ± 1.1 and of females was 76.9 ± 2.1, 73 ± 2.0, 69.3 ± 1.8, and 64 ± 1.1, respectively). The high altitude subjects of all groups showed hypoventilation on day 1 of arrival to low altitude which after 2 months became almost equal to that of control group due to adaptation to sea level. There was a steeper increase in the mean BP with age in high altitude people than the lowland people. The increase in mean diastolic BP (DBP) of high altitude people was more which was statistically highly significant. Furthermore, the males had a higher mean DBP than the females. However, the difference in the mean systolic BP was statistically non‑significant. Conclusion: High altitude natives have distinctive biological characteristics that appear to offset the stress of hypoxia. Evolutionary theory reasons that they reflect genetic adaptations resulting from natural selection favoring more effective adaptive responses.
Authors and Affiliations
Anjum Batul
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