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Sport in Extreme Environments: Cardiovascular Issues

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Textbook of Sports and Exercise Cardiology

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Abstract

Exposure to extreme environments has become increasingly attractive. The remotest places on earth like the poles, the high mountain peaks, the hot deserts, or the deep sea are particularly fascinating. Although the most extreme environments remain rather reserved to a few extraordinary people, improved access and infrastructure nowadays allow millions of visitors to pursue recreational outdoor activities in extremely cold or hot regions, in hypobaric hypoxia (high altitudes) or hyperbaria (diving). Humans are homeotherms, meaning that their core temperature has to be held constant within a relatively narrow range (35.0–37.5 °C). Exposure to cold air or cold water is associated with the risk of hypothermia (core temperature below 35 °C), which is especially pronounced in cold water. In contrast, heat exposure may provoke the risk of hyperthermia (core temperature above 37.5 °C), which is especially distinct during exercise. With increasing altitude (hypobaric hypoxia) aerobic capacity (maximal oxygen uptake, VO2max) declines by about 1.5–3.5% every 300 m of altitude gain. On the other hand, when exercising at depth (diving, hyperbaria) oxygen supply needs to be maintained by artificial means. Without breathing gas supply, exposures are limited to the individual breath-hold time. Due to the greater health risk when exercising under extreme conditions, pre-exposure medical assessment of exercise performance and cardiorespiratory functioning are of utmost importance. Both exercise training to achieve an appropriate cardiovascular fitness and habituation/acclimatization to the specific environmental conditions are important preventative measures for both athletes and patients.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Martin Burtscher

  2. Department of Sports Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Kay Tetzlaff

Authors
  1. Martin Burtscher
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  2. Kay Tetzlaff
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Burtscher .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Private Center for Sports and Exercise Cardiology, München, Bayern, Germany

    Axel Pressler

  2. University Institute of Sports Medicine Prevention and Rehabilitation, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

    Josef Niebauer

Review

Review

1.1 Questions

  1. 1.

    Which are the most effective homeostatic responses of the human organism when exposed to cold and how are they related to the individual aerobic capacity (VO2max)?

  2. 2.

    How many days are needed for heat acclimatization and physiological changes associated with heat acclimatization?

  3. 3.

    How does acclimatization to high altitude affect maximal and submaximal aerobic exercise performance?

  4. 4.

    Which are the main factors limiting exercise capacity at depth?

1.2 Answers

  1. 1.

    Most effective homeostatic responses to cold exposure are cutaneous vasoconstriction and involuntary thermogenesis by shivering; the maximal heat production corresponds to the individual’s aerobic capacity (VO2max).

  2. 2.

    After 10–14 days heat acclimatization will be completed associated with increased skin blood flow and sweating capability contributing to cardiovascular stability and improved exercise performance.

  3. 3.

    Whereas maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) is hardly affected by acclimatization to high altitude, submaximal exercise performance improves considerably.

  4. 4.

    Increased gas density and increased breathing resistance will restrict ventilation at depth.

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Burtscher, M., Tetzlaff, K. (2020). Sport in Extreme Environments: Cardiovascular Issues. In: Pressler, A., Niebauer, J. (eds) Textbook of Sports and Exercise Cardiology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35374-2_34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35374-2_34

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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