A5037659899- Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Treatments
- High Altitude and Hypoxia
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research
- Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
- Travel-related health issues
- Cardiovascular and Diving-Related Complications
- Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Cardiovascular Function and Risk Factors
- Respiratory Support and Mechanisms
- Interstitial Lung Diseases and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Congenital Heart Disease Studies
- Cardiovascular Issues in Pregnancy
- Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Heart Failure Treatment and Management
- Vascular Anomalies and Treatments
- Venous Thromboembolism Diagnosis and Management
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise
- Systemic Sclerosis and Related Diseases
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Medical Imaging and Pathology Studies
- Liver Disease and Transplantation
- Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances
University Hospital of Zurich
2016-2025
University of Zurich
2017-2025
National Center of Cardiology and Internal Medicine
2025
Klinik für Schlafmedizin
2019-2023
Swiss Society of Hypertension
2021
University Hospital of Lausanne
2021
Canadian Respiratory Research Network
2016
Heidelberg University
2010-2015
University Hospital Heidelberg
2010-2015
TU Dresden
2012
Roach, Robert C., Peter H. Hackett, Oswald Oelz, Bärtsch, Andrew M. Luks, Martin J. MacInnis, Kenneth Baillie, and The Lake Louise AMS Score Consensus Committee. 2018 Acute Mountain Sickness Score. High Alt Med Biol 19:1-4, 2018.- (AMS) scoring system has been a useful research tool since first published in 1991. Recent studies have shown that disturbed sleep at altitude, one of the five symptoms scored for AMS, is more likely due to altitude hypoxia per se, not closely related AMS. To...
The objective of this prospective study was to assess safety and efficacy exercise training in a large cohort patients with different forms World Health Organization (WHO) functional classes chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH). 183 PH (pulmonary arterial (PAH), thromboembolic due respiratory or left heart diseases received hospital for 3 weeks continued at home. Adverse events have been monitored during the in-hospital programme. Efficacy parameters were evaluated baseline, after 15 weeks....
The impact of exercise training on the right heart and pulmonary circulation has not yet been invasively assessed in patients with hypertension (PH) failure. This prospective randomized controlled study investigates effects peak VO2/kg, haemodynamics, further clinically relevant parameters PH patients. Eighty-seven arterial inoperable chronic thrombo-embolic (54% female, 56 ± 15 years, 84% World Health Organization functional class III/IV, 53% combination therapy) stable disease-targeted...
Abstract Introduction The objective of this prospective study was to assess short- and long-term efficacy exercise training (ET) as add-on medical therapy in patients with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (CTD-APAH). Methods Patients invasively confirmed CTD-APAH received ET in-hospital for 3 weeks continued at home 12 weeks. Efficacy parameters have been evaluated baseline after 15 by blinded-observers. Survival rate has a follow-up period 2.9 ± 1.9...
Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a rapidly evolving pandemic caused by the coronavirus Sars-CoV-2. Clinically manifest central nervous system symptoms have been described in COVID-19 patients and could be consequence of commonly associated vascular pathology, but detailed neuropathological sequelae remain largely unknown. A total six cases, all positive for Sars-CoV-2, showed evidence cerebral petechial hemorrhages microthrombi at autopsy. Two out an elevated risk disseminated...
Background In this study, we investigated the impact of new haemodynamic definition pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) as proposed by 6th PH World Symposium on phenotypes and survival in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods SSc who were prospectively consecutively screened for PAH including right heart catheterisation Heidelberg or Zurich, clinical variables have been reassessed according to definition. Patients followed 3.7±3.7 (median 3.4) years; Kaplan-Meier analysis was...
The aim of the present study was to investigate prognostic value exercise haemodynamics measured during right heart catheterisation (RHC) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) referred for evaluation pulmonary hypertension. SSc undergoing RHC at rest and maximal supine incremental cycle were grouped into resting precapillary hypertension (PH ) (mean artery pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg, wedge <15 mmHg), exercise-induced ex (mPAP ≥30 mmHg mPAP/cardiac output >3 mmHg·L −1 ·min exercise),...
Objective To investigate the effect of a daylong exposure to high altitude on peak exercise capacity and safety in stable patients with pulmonary arterial chronic thromboembolic hypertension (PAH/CTEPH). Methods In randomised controlled cross-over trial, PAH or distal CTEPH without resting hypoxemia at low performed two incremental tests exhaustion, one after 3–5 h (2500 m) (470 m). Results 27 PAH/CTEPH (44% women, 61±14 y), maximal work-rate was 110±64 watts 2500 m 123±64 470 (−11%, 95%CI:...
Objective: Neurocognitive functions are affected by high altitude, however the altitude effects of acclimatization and repeated exposures unclear. We investigated acute, subacute exposure to 5,050 m on cognition among altitude-naïve participants compared control subjects tested at low altitude. Methods: Twenty-one individuals (25.3 ± 3.8 years, 13 females) were exposed for 1 week (Cycle 1) re-exposed after a rest sea-level 2). Baseline (BL, 520 m), acute (Day 1, HA1) 6, HA6, m) measurements...
Study question We investigated whether domiciliary oxygen therapy (DOXT) increases exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with pulmonary arterial or distal chronic thromboembolic hypertension (PAH/CTEPH) presenting mild resting hypoxaemia exercise-induced desaturation. Materials methods 30 PAH/CTEPH, mean± sd age 60±15 years, artery pressure 39±11 mmHg, saturation measured by pulse oximetry ( S pO 2 ) ≥90%, drop during a 6-min walk test ≥4%, on hypertension-targeted medication,...
Background The aim of the present work was to study influence body position on resting and exercise pulmonary hemodynamics in patients assessed for hypertension (PH). Methods Results Data from 483 with suspected PH undergoing right heart catheterization clinical indications (62% women, age 61±15 years, 246 precapillary PH, 48 postcapillary 106 83 no PH) were analyzed; 213 (main cohort, years 2016-2018) examined at rest upright (45°) supine position, such as under exercise. Upright compared...
Abstract Pollution and climate change constitute a combined, grave pervasive threat to humans the life‐support systems on which they depend. Evidence shows strong association between pollution cardiovascular respiratory diseases, pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) is no exception. An increasing number of studies has documented impact environmental extreme temperatures circulation right heart, severity outcomes patients with arterial hypertension chronic thromboembolic (PH), incidence embolism,...
OBJECTIVE High altitude hypoxia may affect cognitive performance and sleep quality. Further, vigilance is reduced following deprivation. We investigated the effect on vigilance, actigraphic indices their relationships with acute mountain sickness (AMS) during very high (HA) exposure, acclimatization, re-exposure. METHODS Twenty-one healthy altitude-naive individuals (25±4 years; 13 females) completed two cycles of exposure separated by 7 days at low (LA, 520m). Participants slept 2900m spent...
The question addressed by the study Chronic exposure to hypoxia increases pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in highlanders, but criteria for diagnosis of high-altitude hypertension (HAPH) are debated. We assessed cardiac function and PAP highlanders at 3250 m explored HAPH prevalence using different definitions. Patients methods Central Asian free overt cardiorespiratory disease, permanently living 2500–3500 compared age-matched lowlanders <800 m. Participants underwent echocardiography...
Introduction: Since pregnancy in women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated a high risk of morbidity and mortality, it recommended that should be avoided PAH. However, some mild PAH may consider this recommendation as unsuitable. Unfortunately knowledge on outcomes best management during limited. Methods: Data from all who were followed by multidisciplinary team at tertiary referral center for delivered between 2004 2020 retrospectively analyzed case series. factor...
Pure oxygen breathing (hyperoxia) may improve hemodynamics in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and allows to calculate right-to-left shunt fraction (Qs/Qt), whereas normobaric hypoxia accelerate hypoxic vasoconstriction (HPV). This study investigates how hyperoxia affect mean artery pressure (mPAP) vascular resistance (PVR) PH whether Qs/Qt influences the changes of mPAP PVR.Adults arterial or chronic thromboembolic (PAH/CTEPH) underwent repetitive hemodynamic blood gas measurements...
Acetazolamide (AZA) improves nocturnal and daytime blood oxygenation in patients with pulmonary vascular disease (PVD), defined as arterial distal chronic thromboembolic hypertension (CTEPH), may improve exercise performance.
Background Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction leads to an increase in artery pressure (PAP) and potentially right heart failure healthy individuals patients with respiratory diseases. Previous studies chronic obstructive disease (COPD) exposed hypobaric hypoxia have shown PAP, while traditional echocardiographic parameters revealed only minimal changes at high altitude. Speckle-tracking-derived analysis is more sensitive assess ventricular (RV) function we used this method investigate the...
Häfliger, Alina, Aline Buergin, Laura C. Mayer, Maamed Mademilov, Mona Lichtblau, Talantbek Sooronbaev, Silvia Ulrich, Konrad E. Bloch, and Michael Furian. Sex-specific difference in health-related altitude-effects their prevention by acetazolamide. Data from a randomized controlled trial.