Impairment of exercise performance during hypoxemia due to altitude exposure or lung disease is caused primarily by reduced oxygen delivery to the exercising muscles, due to the reduction in arterial oxygen content. This reduction in arterial oxygen content is due to reduced alveolar PO2 and ventilation/perfusion (VA/Q) mismatch, and to some extent alveolar to end-capillary diffusion impairment. Ultimately, hypoxemia results in secondary diffuse pulmonary vasoconstriction (hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, HPV), which in turn causes pulmonary hypertension. This secondary pulmonary hypertension is believed to worsen VA/Q mismatch, further reducing the PO2, suggesting that pharmacologic blockade of HPV could increase PO2 (e.g. during altitude exposure) and thus improve exercise performance. Reduction in pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in individuals susceptible to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) could also facilitate both prevention and treatment of HAPE.