Rapid Induction Strategies at High Altitude

Modern military operations frequently require rapid deployment of personnel into high altitude with little or no time for physiological acclimatization. Rapid deployment of unacclimatized soldiers to high altitude/mountain environments may cause debilitating effects on operational capabilities. “Normobaric Hypoxia Chamber”has been developed to provide Intermittent Hypoxic Exposure (IHE) as one of the recent approaches to induce altitude acclimatization. It involves the use of daily intermittent hypoxic exposure in lieu of continuous stay at high altitude. IHE is known as altitude exposure, involves breathing low oxygen air periodically, living in or exercising in reduced air for the purpose of pre-acclimatization/preconditioning to high altitude . It has been found to improve the physical work performance of an individual as well as to reduce the incidence of Acute Mountain Sickness.