Restrictions of life at high altitudes and physiological adaptations in animals

Velike visine oduvijek su privlačile ljude, naročito planinare i skijaše. No s velikim visinama dolazi i nepogodan okoliš karakteriziran velikom hladnoćom, niskim tlakom i hipoksijom. Upravo niski tlak i hipoksija stvaraju najveću opasnost za ljudsko zdravlje. Ovaj rad pregled je fizioloških procesa koji se zbivaju u tijelu, a uzrokovani su hipoksijom. Objašnjen je i pojam aklimatizacije te se opisuju neke visinske bolesti kao i njihovo liječenje. Rad razmatra prilagodbe stanovnika velikih visina (životinje i starosjedioce) na hipoksične uvjete. Dosta radova napravljeno je na ovom području, ali mnogo mehanizama još uvijek je nepoznato te zahtijevaju dodatno istraživanje. Također je potrebno istražiti bolesti i prilagodbe kod ljudi i životinja kako bi se pronašli odgovarajući životinjski modeli.High altitudes have always been attractive to people, especially mountaineer and skiers. They are charachterized by hostile environment, extreme cold, low pressure and hypoxia. Low pressure and hypoxia are charachteristics that pose the biggest threat to human health.This article is an overview of physiological processes caused in body by hypoxia. It also explanins concept of acclimatization and describes some illnesses caused by high altitudes as well as their treaments. Article also investigates adaptations of high altitude rezidents (animals and natives) on hypoxic conditions. Lot of work has been done in this area, but many mechanisms still remain unexplained and in need of future research. To find appropriate animal models future research of ilneses and adaptations in humans and animals should be conducted