Klarinet Archive - Posting 000324.txt from 1998/04

From: "Diane Karius, Ph.D." <dikarius@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: High & dry (climate, that is)
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 16:03:05 -0400

> In the Ring Orchestra information packet, they suggest arriving early and
> walking around the campus to adjust one's system to the altitude, but the
> way they word it, it sounds like we're all in imminent danger of fainting
> dead away if we try to blow our brains out on the loud passages!
>
Unfortunately you are in some danger of passing
out - because of the decreased atmospheric pressure at altitude (easy
way to visualize: fewer molecules of oxygen, nitrogen etc... in the
same volume), you will be somewhat hypoxic (too little oxygen in the
blood). That will make you breathe faster (even just sitting), so
you will also decrease your blood levels of CO2 (carbon dioxide -
made by your tissues). Blowing off CO2 makes people dizzy and light
headed - the combination of hypoxia and hypocapnia (low co2) is a
really good way to pass out. Adding exertion ("blowing your brains
out") can easily put you over the brink. It will take about two
weeks for your brain to make the adjustments in sensitivity to find a
happy medium. During this time, your breathing during sleep can
become irregular etc, interrupting your sleep patterns etc...
Altitude sickness can occur for the first few days (usually only
temporary at those altitudes - rare people are unable to make the
adjustments at those altitudes and development a serious form of
altitude sickness).
Getting there two weeks ahead of time would be ideal, but a week
should get you passed the worst of it.

Diane R. Karius, Ph.D.
Department of Physiology
University of Health Sciences
2105 Independence Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64124
email: dikarius@-----.EDU