Increased heart tolerance to hypoxia at high altitude

Prof. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo performed isolated dog heart perfusion in order to study heart function at high altitude. He then observed that the hearts of high altitude residents were more tolerant to hypoxia than those at sea level, around 1961. This is considered one of the first observations with this concept. Ever since and gradually it has been further studied and applied practically with distinguished colleagues such as Dr. Emilio Marticorena from Peru that showed that high altitude cardiac rehabilitation is faster at high altitude. Frantisek Kolar from the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute, has performed extraordinary advance in research of hearts in rats exposed to hypoxia, further advancing in this concept. We have heard that Alberto Hurtado from Peru had similar ideas. Here is the Newspaper “Ultima Hora” publication back in 1964: