Differences in the Response of the Right and Left Ventricle to Chronic Hypoxia

Adaptation to chronic hypoxia is characterized by a variety of functional changes which collectively facilitate oxygen transport from the ambient medium to the cells of the body. All of these changes can be seen at one time or another in the course of hypoxic exposure. Myocardium must maintain adequate contractility in spite of the lowered oxygen tension in the coronary circulation. Such a situation requires adjustment which may protect the heart during conditions which require enhanced work and consequently increased metabolism. Adaptive changes in the chronic hypoxic heart include the effect of increased stress imposed on the right ventricle (RV) by pulmonary hypertension and the actual effect of the reduced partial oxygen pressure; they, therefore, differ in the RV and left ventricular (LV) myocardium.