High Altitude Deterioration: A Historical Essay

Lankford, Harvey V.

doi:10.1016/j.wem.2019.04.010

Cited by 4 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The reduction of energy intake at high altitude from poor appetite leading to weight loss in conditions of high‐altitude climbing, together with slow recovery from fatigue, lethargy, irritability, lack of will power to start new tasks, slowing of mental processes, dulling of affect, and impaired cognitive function is known as high‐altitude deterioration 62 …”

Section: Energy Balance and Hypoxiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With inbuilt redundancy, a multitude of hormones, adipokines, myokines, and so forth orchestrate a baseline for feeding behavior in keeping with the short-term metabolic requirements, the type and availability of nutrients, and the body's long-term energy reserves. It therefore is likely that other so far unknown mechanisms also play a role in the reduction of energy intake in conditions of hypoxia.The reduction of energy intake at high altitude from poor appetite leading to weight loss in conditions of high-altitude climbing, together with slow recovery from fatigue, lethargy, irritability, lack of will power to start new tasks, slowing of mental processes, dulling of affect, and impaired cognitive function is known as high-altitude deterioration 62. It has been argued that the loss of body mass at altitude may be an adaptive response to conditions of lack in the macronutrient oxygen.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Hypoxia, energy balance, and obesity: An update

Kayser

Vergès

2021

Obesity Reviews

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Because of the enduring rise in the prevalence of obesity worldwide, there is continued interest in hypoxia as a mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of obesity and its comorbidities and as a potential therapeutic adjunct for the management of the disease. Lifelong exposure to altitude is accompanied by a lower risk for obesity, whereas altitude sojourns are generally associated with a loss of body mass. A negative energy balance upon exposure to hypoxia can be due to a combination of changes in determinants of energy expenditure (resting metabolic rate and physical activity energy expenditure) and energy intake (appetite). Over the past 15 years, the potential therapeutic interest of hypobaric or normobaric hypoxic exposure in individuals with obesity-to lower body mass and improve health status-has become an active field of research. Various protocols have been implemented, using actual altitude sojourns or intermittent normobaric hypoxic exposures, at rest or in association with physical activity. Although several studies suggest benefits on body mass and cardiovascular and metabolic variables, further investigations are required before recommending hypoxic exposure in obesity management programs. Future studies should also better clarify the effects of hypoxia on appetite, the intestinal microbiota, and finally on overall energy balance.

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Section: Energy Balance and Hypoxiamentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hypoxia, energy balance, and obesity: An update

Kayser

Vergès

2021

Obesity Reviews

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“…Deterioration is distinct from simple lassitude or lassitude in mountain sickness (AMS). 5,[21][22][23] Rather than mountain lassitude, the phrase high altitude deterioration became more commonplace. It was attributed to surgeon-mountaineer T. Howard Somervell on the British Everest expeditions of 1922 and 1924.…”

Section: The Zones Of Edouard Wyss-dunantmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was attributed to surgeon-mountaineer T. Howard Somervell on the British Everest expeditions of 1922 and 1924. 2,3,5,18 On the 1922 expedition, George Mallory emphasized with italics when he wrote that there was only 1 solution for deterioration: “At a high altitude even the strongest might suffer this loss of muscular power; and he will not recover up there .” 24 In 1932, British climber-writer Frank Smythe on Kamet would advise with wit: “if he would enjoy himself, the Himalayan mountaineer should limit himself to peaks less than 23,000 feet [7000 m].” 25 Wyss-Dunant implied much the same: “one can no longer acclimatise oneself to 23,000 ft [7000 m].” 12…”

Section: The Zones Of Edouard Wyss-dunantmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Death Zone: Lessons from History

Lankford¹

2021

Wilderness & Environmental Medicine

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This Lessons from History article about the naming of the extreme altitude "Death Zone" explores the historical mountaineering and medical literature relevant to the topic. Swiss alpinist and radiologist Edouard Wyss-Dunant (1897e1983) authored several reports and books about expeditions to arctic regions, deserts, and the Himalaya. Encouraged by the success of a Swiss expedition to the Garhwal Himalaya in 1947, Wyss-Dunant joined his fellow climbers from Geneva on a 1949 expedition to several peaks in the Kanchenjunga region. Wyss-Dunant was then invited to lead the spring 1952 Swiss Everest expedition. Despite this being the first Swiss attempt on Everest and on an untried route, Raymond Lambert and Tenzing Norgay nearly summitted Everest from the Nepal side. Wyss-Dunant earned mountaineering immortality by coining the phrase the Death Zone during the expedition's foray into the upper regions of Everest. Wyss-Dunant went on to become a president of the Swiss Alpine Club and the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation. His writings and that of others provide an evocative supporting narrative to illustrate some of the problems of living (or dying) at extreme altitude.

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Color Vision in the Mountains

Lankford,

Hovis

2023

Wilderness & Environmental Medicine

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This Lessons from History article uses science, aviation, medicine, and mountaineering sources to describe some of the effects of hypoxia, illumination, and other environmental conditions on the eye, the central nervous system, and light and color perception. The historical perspective is augmented by an analysis of an informal observation of the altered perception of red color on a deck of playing cards while climbing Mera Peak in the Himalaya. The appearance of a grayer red color on the cards was initially attributed to the effects of hypoxia alone. Instead, analysis of cards in combination with the low incidence of protan color vision defects at altitude indicated that glare and contrast effects in the extremely bright lighting environment combined with hypoxia likely caused the perception of a grayer red. The incident provides an educational opportunity for review, analysis, and commentary about some of the complex elements that impact color vision.

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High Altitude Deterioration: A Historical Essay

Cited by 4 publications

References 40 publications

Hypoxia, energy balance, and obesity: An update

Hypoxia, energy balance, and obesity: An update

The Death Zone: Lessons from History

Color Vision in the Mountains

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