10 Altitude Sickness Symptoms
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
Symptom #10: Rapid Heartbeat
The fitter and healthier a person is, the better the heart is able to pump blood around the body. A strong heart enables more blood to be pumped with each contraction of the heart muscles, so fewer contractions are needed. This results in a slower heartbeat.
The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the rest of the body. However, if there is less oxygen in the blood, the heart needs to pump more blood in order to supply the necessary oxygen. Therefore, the heart will compensate by pumping faster to try and supply more oxygen.
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