Interaction of Chronic Hypoxia of Moderate Altitude on Pulmonary Hypertension Complicating Defect of the Atrial Septum

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Abstract
PULMONARY hypertension is a serious and relatively frequent complication of the ostiumsecundum type of defect of the atrial septum.1 2 3 4 It increases the symptoms and disability of cardio-respiratory impairment and substantially raises the mortality for surgical correction of this defect. Recent evidence indicates that prolonged hypoxia of high altitude elevates pulmonary arterial pressure in man and other mammals5 6 7; the possibility that even slight hypoxia, associated with exposure to moderate altitude, affects pulmonary arterial pressures has not been systematically investigated to our knowledge. Because pulmonary hypertension, under acute hypoxic conditions, probably represents the consequences of vasoconstriction, and because pulmonary vascular engorgement . . .