Simulating high-altitude conditions before surgery could improve the physical performance of elderly patients at high risk of complications, a new study suggests.
- Air pressure is lower at high altitude and our body therefore produces more hemoglobin.
- Hemoglobin is a protein responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.
- Researchers have discovered that elderly patients in poor physical condition could benefit from simulating high altitude before surgery.
From 2,000 to 2,500 meters above sea level, the air pressure is lower. Our body then registers a drop in the partial pressure of oxygen, which increases the rate hemoglobina protein that transports oxygen throughout the body and Red cells in the blood. Top athletes regularly practice sport at altitude to improve their performance and endurance during competitions. It might be a good idea to do the same before an operation, according to the study published in the journal Anaesthesia.
High altitude: better hemoglobin levels in elderly patients
In this research, Scientists from different universities have wondered, in fact, whether high altitude conditions before surgery could improve the physical performance of patients at high risk of complications.
To answer their questions, eight participants aged 64 on average were exposed to reduced oxygen levels simulating high altitude, what the authors call “preadaptation to altitude”. The experiment lasted two weeks. For the first seven days, they breathed normal air and then, for the next week, oxygen levels were reduced. At the beginning and end of each week, volunteers underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
Results: Simulating high altitude increased participants’ hemoglobin levels, which the authors found beneficial before surgery. On the other hand, it had no impact on aerobic capacity, i.e. the ability of the lungs, heart and circulatory system to efficiently deliver oxygen to the muscles used during exercise.
Towards hypoxic tents before surgery?
“We know that athletes use [tentes] hypoxic to simulate exposure to altitude and that [les bénéfices] on performance are visible for up to two or three weeks, even in very fit people, says Thomas Smith, lead author of the study, in a communicated. We wanted to know whether this approach could also, before major surgery, benefit older patients who, due to their sedentary lifestyle and poor physical condition, are at greater risk of poor postoperative outcomes.”
The work shows that simulating high altitude conditions could be beneficial for these patients in poor physical condition. In the future, devices such as hypoxic tents may be considered for these patients when they are scheduled to undergo surgery. However, the authors warn that “further studies are needed” before it was used as a method of preparation for operations.
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