Studies of the Effects of Acute Exposure to Simulated Altitudes on Dextrose Tolerance and Insulin Tolerance

摘要

Animals subjected to standard dextrose tolerance and insulin tolerance tests at ground level and at simulated altitudes of 18,000 feet and 4,000 feet responded differently to these tests under the conditions of reduced oxygen tension. The tolerance of the animals for intravenously administered dextrose was affected adversely by exposure to simulated altitude. This was manifested by a prolonged elevation of the blood sugar levels and by their failure to return to normal fasting values in a 3 hour period. This effect was much more pronounced at 24,000 feet than at 18,000 feet. The insulin tolerance tests revealed a decreased insulin response in the animals exposed to simulated altitudes with no appreciable change in the time required for the return of the blood glucose level to the initial fasting level. The response to intramuscularly administered adrenalin was not as marked at the simulated altitudes as at ground level. (Author)