Robert Naeije
European Respiratory Journal 2024 63: 2400111; DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00111-2024 

Extract

Altitude exposure is generally considered to be contraindicated in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), out of concern that (hypobaric) hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) might further increase pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and worsen right heart failure [1]. This notion is mentioned in the guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Respiratory Society (ERS), who provide a recommendation against the travel to altitude of >1500 m without supplemental oxygen [2, 3].