Abstract

Aim: Intermediate altitude (IA) is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease due to low oxygen levels. At IA, adaptive mechanisms develop both in the left and right heart cavities from the early period. In this study, we investigated the effects of IA on atrial functions using speckle tracking echocardiography.
Materials and Methods: The study was performed on the subjects living at IA for 1 year. Baseline and the first-year echocardiographic data of the subjects were compared and the effects of IA on atrial functions were investigated.
Results: A total of 67 subjects were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 44.5 years  6.2 and 62% of them were males. At the end of the first year, while the left atrial (LA) conduit strain(p:0.011), reservoir strain(p:0.032), and contractile strain(p:0.037) rates were significantly higher, the left atrial volume index(p:0.005) was found to be lower.
Conclusion: IA leads to the development of adaptive mechanisms in the cardiovascular system and maintenance of tissue oxygenation is not affected by means of these mechanisms. An increase can be detected in LA structure and functions from the first year in individuals living at high altitudes.

Key words: Right atrium, left atrium, strain, altitude, strain rate