What Everest Teaches About Disease

Researchers are going to great lengths–or rather, great heights–to further their understanding of the heart, lungs and brain.

A team of Mayo Clinic scientists recently accompanied climbers to Mount Everest to study the effects of high altitude. And researchers from the University of Colorado, Denver, are planning a high-altitude research trip to Bolivia with 24 study participants.

At high altitudes, the body’s main challenge is dealing with low oxygen levels in blood or tissue, as well as lesser stresses involving diet, fluid, temperature and UV exposure.

For four weeks starting April 20, Mayo Clinic researchers were in Nepal taking physiological measurements of 10 climbers’ hearts and lungs, as well as conducting sleep studies and cognitive performance tests on them.

Shirley S. Wang

Full Story: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304707604577424493732692180.html?grcc=grdt&mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_health