Abstract
The alveolar partial oxygen pressure (Pao2) recorded from 20 ventilated patients was found to decrease by 16 mm Hg during airborne
rescue helicopter transport at an average altitude of 1780 feet mean sea level. The
initial departure altitude was 192 feet, and the flight ascended to 2200 feet above
ground level. Hence, the Pao2 drop in patients was exclusively attributable to cruising altitude (atmospheric pressure
= -42 mm Hg). Pathophysiological alterations include drops in the oxygenation index
(-50 mm Hg), arterial partial oxygen pressure (-34 mm Hg), and heart rate (+7 beats
per minute) and are attributable to growing disproportions in ventilation and perfusion.
The absolute Pao2 level does depend largely on the Fio2 value.
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© 2004 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
