| Abstract [eng] |
Background. The rapidly growing popularity of mountain tourism and mountaineering is leading to an increasing number of people traveling to high-altitude regions. However, at high altitudes (above 2,500 m), hypoxia, reduced atmospheric pressure, low temperatures, and UV radiation slow wound healing and increase the risk of complications. Tourists and mountaineers often sustain mechanical and thermal wounds, which heal more slowly at high altitudes than at sea level due to reduced blood flow and immune response. This study examines the physiological changes in wound healing at high altitudes and the most effective wound care strategies. Methods. A comprehensive review of the scientific literature from recent years (2015–2026) was conducted using major medical databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Embase). The following MeSH terms were used in various combinations for the search: “wound healing,” “hypoxia,” “high-altitude”. Only original articles published in English were selected for further analysis. Results. An analysis of the scientific literature reveals that hypoxia is one of the important factors contributing to impaired wound healing at high altitudes. It has been established that reduced partial pressure of oxygen disrupts key healing mechanisms - prolonging the inflammatory phase, inhibiting angiogenesis, reducing collagen synthesis, and weakening the immune response. It has also been established that hypoxia alters cellular metabolism and the biophysical properties of cell membranes, including membrane viscosity, which may affect cellular signaling, migration, and drug penetration. Under high-altitude conditions, these processes are further complicated by additional factors - cold, UV radiation, and dehydration. From a practical standpoint, it has been established that wound management under such conditions should focus on simple, reliable, and minimally invasive strategies. Conclusion. Hypoxia significantly alters the course of wound healing at both the systemic and cellular levels. Effective wound treatment at high altitudes requires not only standard treatment principles but also their adaptation to extreme environmental conditions. Changes in the biophysical properties of membranes, particularly viscosity, may be an important additional mechanism explaining the cellular response to hypoxia and potential differences in treatment efficacy. |
