A person from Kentucky (sea level), flew to Denver, CO, rented a car and drove to Pikes Peak. When walking from the car to the visitor center they became quite “winded” and had to sit down and rest. The barometer at the visitor center read 450 mmHg. Predict the directional changes (increase, decrease, no change) in each of the following variables that would have taken place in this individual between Kentucky and Pikes Peak.
Ambient partial pressure of oxygen:
Alveolar partial pressure of oxygen:
Arterial blood partial pressure of oxygen:
Percent oxygen-hemoglobin saturation in arterial blood:
Total arterial oxygen content:
Venous content of oxygen:
Venous blood partial pressure of oxygen:
Percent oxygen-hemoglobin saturation in venous blood:
How would these values change if a person had a 50% anemia? How would they change if they had trained at altitude and the hematocrit increased by 20%?