Hypoxic Exercise Exacerbates Hypoxemia and Acute Mountain Sickness in Obesity: A Case Analysis

Jing Xu, Jinshu Zeng, Yelei Yan and Fei Xu
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Jing Xu: School of Physical Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Jinshu Zeng: School of Physical Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Yelei Yan: School of Physical Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Fei Xu: School of Physical Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-8

Abstract: Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a common syndrome characterized by headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, weakness, and nausea. As a major public health issue, obesity has increased in high altitude urban residents and intermittent commuters to high altitudes. The present study investigated acute hypoxic exposure and hypoxic exercise on hypoxemia severity and AMS symptoms in a physically active obese man. In this case analysis, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) was used to evaluate hypoxemia, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were used to reflect the function of autonomic nervous system (ANS), and Lake Louise scoring (LLS) was used to assess AMS. The results showed that acute hypoxic exposure led to severe hypoxemia (SpO 2 = 72%) and tachycardia (HRrest = 97 bpm), and acute hypoxic exercise exacerbated severe hypoxemia (SpO 2 = 59%) and ANS dysfunction (HRpeak = 167 bpm, SBP/DBP = 210/97 mmHg). At the end of the 6-h acute hypoxic exposure, the case developed severe AMS (LLS = 10) symptoms of headache, gastrointestinal distress, cyanosis, vomiting, poor appetite, and fatigue. The findings of the case study suggest that high physical activity level appears did not show a reliable protective effect against severe hypoxemia, ANS dysfunction, and severe AMS symptoms in acute hypoxia exposure and hypoxia exercise.

Keywords: obesity; acute mountain sickness; hypoxemia; hypoxic therapy; hypoxic exercise; hypoxic rest (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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