Individual variations in ability to acclimatize to high altitude

Abstract

A striking feature in the acclimatization of man to high altitude is the great variability in the responses of different individuals to the lowered air pressure. This has been observed repeatedly by mountaineers and was very evident during the work of the International High Altitude Expedition to Chile in 1935. Our experience was in agreement with other reports: (1) individuals of similar age and general physical condition differ widely in their ability to adjust to high altitude; (2) the differences between individuals become increasingly marked at successively higher altitudes; (3) the initial response to the high altitude is not always a good indication of the eventual acclimatization to be reached; (4) good acclimatization to a moderately high altitude is not necessarily an indication that relatively good acclimatization will be attained at very high altitudes.