Question

A healthy college student from Boston went to Colorado over Spring Break for a vacation. While there, she drove to the top of Pike’s Peak, a tall mountain. During her first hour on the peak, she walked around, but had to sit and rest three times. The last time was in the weather station. She noticed the barometer in the station read 600 mm Hg (total Atm pressure). Explain two physiological responses that would increase the amount of oxygen delivered to her tissues.

Need detailed answers please.

Answer 1

The college student student will maintain her oxygen requirements by

1) increase the respiratory rate thereby increasing the minute ventilation and this will help in providing more amount of oxygen to meet the reduced partial pressure of oxygen in atmosphere. Normally at low levels of plane land the atmospheric pressure will be more than 750mmhg but when it reduces the pco2 decrease there by decrease the amount of O2 . So tachypnea will help to maintain O2 supply

2) increase in blood level of hemoglobin and red-blood cells will occur to improve the O2 supply to tissue. The main reason for the ibcres in RBC us to reduce the dizziness and drowsiness that will occur is to low atmospheric pressure. So to help to meet O2 supply RBC is increased

3) tachycardia will occur to improve the blood circulation and need for O2 . The amount of O2 dissolved in blood will be low so to keep up with this low partial pressure of O2 in increased heart rate occur