Altitude Adversities: Is It Safe for People with Cardiovascular Disease to Travel to Moderate-High Altitude?

Van Ochten, Natalie, Eric W. Rudofker, and William K. Cornwell. Altitude adversities: is it safe for people with cardiovascular disease to travel to moderate-high altitude? High Alt Med Biol. 26:328-334, 2025.-The risk of acute cardiac events increases following acute exposure to hypoxia associated with travel to moderate-high altitudes. Herein, we present seven illustrative cases among lowlanders who presented to our center (1,609 m, equivalent fraction of inspired oxygen [FIO2] ∼0.17) with acute cardiac emergencies during travel to moderate-high altitude. We also provide a concise, yet comprehensive, review of the relevant physiology pertaining to the impact of acute hypoxia on cardiovascular physiology and mechanisms by which altitude exposure may increase the risk of adverse events.