Module 5 - Altitude

Question 1

High altitude training is defined as what?

Answer 1

Training at altitudes of 5,000 ft and above

Question 2

What gasses make up the air around you?

Answer 2

More than 99% of air is made of three gases: nitrogen(79%), oxygen(21%), argon(.9%), and carbon dioxide(.3%).

Question 3

What adaptions does your body undergo when in higher elevations to counter the decreased ability to transport oxygen efficiently?

Answer 3

Your body tries to artificially boost the density of your red blood cells through a process known as haemoconcentration. This temporarily boosts your hematocrit to transport oxygen more effectively until your body can produce more red blood cells to help.

Question 4

What is ph in the blood?

Answer 4

Ph is the concentration of hydrogen ions in the blood

Question 5

What is blood plasma made up of?

Answer 5

Water, protein, solutes

Question 6

What is blood made up of?

Answer 6

Plasma, Buffy coat, & erythrocytes

Question 7

What is haemoconcentration?

Answer 7

An increase in the concentration of cellular elements in the blood, resulting from loss of plasma

Question 8

What does hemoconcentration do at high altitudes?

Answer 8

Temporarily boosts your hematocrit to transport oxygen more effectively until your body can produce more red blood cells to help. This process, however, decreases your blood plasma volume by 10-25%.

Question 9

What is the role of blood plasma?

Answer 9

Plasma carries water, salts, and enzymes. The main role of plasma is to take nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it.

Question 10

What is hematocrit

Answer 10

The ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the total volume of blood.

Question 11

What is hypoxic ventilatory response?

Answer 11

it is the increase in breathing that occurs when you’re not getting enough oxygen.

Question 12

What is hypoxia

Answer 12

Is a deficiency of oxygen in the body.

Question 13

What causes hypoxia?

Answer 13

Any condition that reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood or restricts blood flow (oxygen-deficient environment, deficiency of red blood cells, or hemoglobin which transports oxygen.)

Question 14

What is erythropoietin?

Answer 14

Is a hormone secreted (manufactured) by the kidneys that increases the rate of production of red blood cells in response to falling levels of oxygen in the tissues.

Question 15

What is the process called where erythropoietin is produced naturally?

Answer 15

Erythropoiesis

Question 16

What factors do you need to consider when coaching an athlete who wants to race at a high altitude?

Answer 16

At what elevation does the athlete live, at what elevation does the athlete train, at what elevation is their event, and does the athlete have the means to arrive at the event early?

Question 17

What are the two primary types of altitude acclimation?

Answer 17

Hypobaric hypoxia exposure (normal altitude exposure) and normobaric hypoxia exposure (simulated altitude exposure)

Question 18

How does training in heat simulate altitude?

Answer 18

Because of the body’s need to cool itself, blood is shunted away from the working muscles and toward the skin. This reduction in blood flow equates to less oxygen to the active muscles during exercise

Question 19

What are ARD’s?

Answer 19

Airflow restriction Devices are masks that restrict/reduce the amount of air an individual can breathe in.

Question 20

When do symptoms of altitude sickness start to occur?

Answer 20

Symptoms usually begin 12 – 48 hours of exposure and range from mild to severe.

Question 21

What do the mild symptoms of altitude sickness look like?

Answer 21

Mild symptoms include - Dizziness, Fatigue and loss of energy, Shortness of breath, Loss of appetite, Sleep disturbance

Question 22

What do the moderate symptoms of altitude sickness look like?

Answer 22

Moderate symptoms include - Worsening fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath, Difficulty with activity, Severe headache, nausea, and vomiting, Chest tightness

Question 23

What do the severe symptoms of altitude sickness look like?

Answer 23

Severe symptoms include - Shortness of breath at rest
Inability to walk, Confusion, Fluid buildup in the lungs and/or brain.

Question 24

What causes altitude sickness?

Answer 24

The cause of altitude sickness is primarily due to the change in air pressure, which reduces the oxygen exchange between the lungs and blood.

Question 25

How can moderate symptoms of altitude sickness be treated?

Answer 25

Moderate symptoms can also be improved with medication or, if possible, going to a place that may be 1,000 to 2,000 ft lower elevation than where symptoms began.

Question 26

How can severe symptoms of altitude sickness be treated?

Answer 26

In severe cases, immediately traveling below 4,000ft is recommended, along with a healthcare provider consultation.

Question 27

What is the most effective way to prevent altitude sickness?

Answer 27

The most effective way to prevent altitude sickness is through acclimatization or a slow progressive exposure to increasing altitudes for increasing amounts of time.

Question 28

Does oxygen pressure decrease or increase with high altitudes?

Answer 28

The partial pressure of oxygen decreases

Question 29

What is hypoxic training?

Answer 29

Training occurs in an environment substantially depleted of oxygen (e.g., training at a high altitude).

Question 30

What is the goal of hypoxic training?

Answer 30

To raise one’s hematocrit level, thereby increasing the amount of oxygen being delivered to working muscles.

Question 31

What is the primary physiological effect of a decrease in oxygen hemoglobin saturation?

Answer 31

The body’s response to this decrease in hemoglobin is to increase the production of erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone secreted by the kidneys that stimulate red blood cell production.