Influence of high altitude after a prior ascent on physical exhaustion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomised crossover alpine field experiment.
Maximilian NiedererKatharina TschernyJosef BurgerBettina WandlVerena FuhrmannCalvin L KienbacherWolfgang SchreiberHarald HerknerDominik RothAlexander EggerPublished in: Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine (2023)
Performing BLS CPR causes exhaustion both at base level and at a high altitude. A further increase during CPR might imply a physiological reserve for adapting to additional physical exertion at high altitude. Phases of ventilation are much needed recovery-periods, but heart rates remain very high. Subjective measures of exhaustion, such as the BORG-scale, might lead to rescuers' overestimation of their own performance.