Hypoxia-altitude Testing to Predict Altitude Related Adverse Health Effects in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients

Normobaric hypoxia at a FiO2 of 15.1% will be generated by the Everest Summit II altitude generator (Hypoxico Altitude Training Systems, Bickenbach, Germany) and delivered to the patients face via tubes and a tightly fitted mask. Patients will be seated comfortably in a chair and fitted with a full-face mask equipped with a one-way valve. After a baseline period of quiet rest of 5-10 min with ambient air breathing and installation of equipment, patients will breath the hypoxic air mixture via a tightly fitted facial mask. They will be monitored with a finger-tip pulseoximetry to continuously assess SpO2 and heart rate. After at least 15' and steady-state values of the SpO2 (±1%) for at least 5' arterial blood gases will be drawn from a radial artery and immediately analyzed (RapidPoint 500, Siemens, Zürich, Switzerland).

High Altitude (3100m) exposure for 2 days