An Ultracyclist with Pulmonary Edema during the Bicycle Race Across America
Luks, andrew m, et al. – Ultraendurance athletic events tax the limits of physiological homeostasis. Maintenance of sodium and water balance is a particularly difficult challenge in such events. We present the case of a 38-yr-old participant in the Bicycle Race Across America who developed severe pulmonary edema while cycling at an altitude of 2380 m on the fourth day of the race. With hospitalization and standard support for pulmonary edema, he made a quick, full recovery. A postrace work-up revealed no evidence of underlying cardiopulmonary disease or susceptibility to high-altitude pulmonary edema. His weight on the day of hospitalization was 2.7 kg greater than his prerace weight. We hypothesize that his excessive daily sodium intake [more...]
|
|
|
