ISSN:
1432-1254
Keywords:
High altitude
;
Pulmonary vascular disease
;
Alymara Indian
;
Bolivia
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Geography
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract A histological study of the pulmonary vasculature in a young male high-altitude Aymara Indian revealed four aspects of interest. There was muscularization of the terminal portion of the pulmonary arterial tree to involve pulmonary arterioles as small as 15 μm in diameter, thus forming a basis for the slightly increased pulmonary vascular resistance of native highlanders. Intimal longitudinal muscle was found in pulmonary arteries and arterioles and thought to be due to chronic alveolar hypoxia. Inner muscular tubes similar to those found in chronic obstructive lung disease were present. Pulmonary veins and venules also showed intimal muscularization suggesting that alveolar hypoxia affects vascular smooth muscle cells per se irrespective of their situation. The nature of the remodelling in a pulmonary blood vessel depends on a combination of hypoxia and haemodynamics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01047286
