1. Blood Pressure Changes While Hiking at Moderate Altitudes: A Prospective Cohort Study
- Author
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Rebecca Mount, Rong Chang, Tessa C. Cattermole, Arthur Ankeney, Ky Stoltzfus, Cheryl A. Gibson, and David Naylor
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,hypertension ,mountaineering ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Acclimatization ,lcsh:Medicine ,Sphygmomanometer ,Blood Pressure ,030204 cardiovascular system & hematology ,Article ,Cohort Studies ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Altitude ,Internal medicine ,Medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Prospective Studies ,Prospective cohort study ,Aged ,business.industry ,cardiovascular ,lcsh:R ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,hiking ,recreation ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Obesity ,Sports drink ,Blood pressure ,Mean blood pressure ,Cohort ,Female ,business ,human activities - Abstract
Recreational hiking in the mountains is a common activity, whether for a single day or for several days in a row. We sought to measure blood pressure (BP) response during a 10-day trek at moderate-altitude elevation (6500&ndash, 13,000 feet) and observe for uncontrolled hypertension and/or adverse cardiovascular outcomes. A total of 1279 adult participants completed an observational study of resting BP during a 10-day trek in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Following initial recruitment, participants were issued a trail data card to record BP measurements at day 0 (basecamp), day 3, day 6 and day 9. BP was measured using a sphygmomanometer and auscultation. Demographic data, height, weight, home altitude, daily water and sports drink intake, existence of pre-arrival hypertension and BP medication class were also recorded. We observed a rise in mean blood pressure for the cohort during all exposures to moderate altitudes. The increases were greatest for individuals with pre-existing hypertension and/or obesity. There were no observed life-threatening cardiovascular events for participants. We conclude that for individuals with a modestly controlled blood pressure of 160/95 mmHg, hiking at a moderate altitude is a safe activity.
- Published
- 2020