Acetazolamide prophylaxis for acute mountain sickness

1987 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 45-47
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Oedema ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Periodic Breathing ◽  
High Altitudes ◽  
Mild Form ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Mountain Sickness

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a syndrome of nausea, headache, lethargy and anorexia which often affects even fit travellers to high altitudes. Sleep is fitful and may be disturbed by dreams and periodic breathing or apnoea. The condition usually resolves within three days of arriving at altitude, but occasionally it leads to life-threatening cerebral or pulmonary oedema. AMS is commonest above 3,000 metres (about 10,000 feet) although a mild form may occur at lower altitudes particularly if ascent has been rapid. About 4% of visitors to Pheriche in Nepal at 4,243m suffered tachypnoea and cyanosis, or headache, ataxia and disorientations; over 50% had milder symptoms.1

scholarly journals Perforation Peritonitis at High Altitude

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (210) ◽  
pp. 625-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhawana Amatya ◽  
Paleswan Joshi Lakhey ◽  
Prativa Pandey
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Distal Gastrectomy ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Emergency Laparotomy ◽  
Delay In Diagnosis ◽  
First Case ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Perforation Peritonitis ◽  
Proper Diagnosis ◽  
Mountain Sickness

Trekkers going to high altitude can suffer from several ailments both during and after their treks. Gastro-intestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain are common in high altitude areas of Nepal due to acute mountain sickness or due to a gastro-intestinal illness. Occasionally, complications of common conditions manifest at high altitude and delay in diagnosis could be catastrophic for the patient presenting with these symptoms. We present two rare cases of duodenal and gastric perforations in trekkers who were evacuated from the Everest trekking region. Both of them had to undergo emergency laparotomy and repair of the perforation using modified Graham’s patch in the first case and distal gastrectomy that included the perforated site, followed by two-layer end-to-side gastrojejunostomy and two-layer side-to-side jejunostomy in the second case. Perforation peritonitis at high-altitude, though rare, can be life threatening. Timely evacuation from high altitude, proper diagnosis and prompt treatment are essential

scholarly journals Acute high-altitude sickness

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (143) ◽  
pp. 160096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Luks ◽  
Erik R. Swenson ◽  
Peter Bärtsch
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Pulmonary Oedema ◽  
Cerebral Oedema ◽  
Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Altitude Sickness ◽  
Pulmonary Vasoconstriction ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Mountain Sickness

At any point 1–5 days following ascent to altitudes ≥2500 m, individuals are at risk of developing one of three forms of acute altitude illness: acute mountain sickness, a syndrome of nonspecific symptoms including headache, lassitude, dizziness and nausea; high-altitude cerebral oedema, a potentially fatal illness characterised by ataxia, decreased consciousness and characteristic changes on magnetic resonance imaging; and high-altitude pulmonary oedema, a noncardiogenic form of pulmonary oedema resulting from excessive hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction which can be fatal if not recognised and treated promptly. This review provides detailed information about each of these important clinical entities. After reviewing the clinical features, epidemiology and current understanding of the pathophysiology of each disorder, we describe the current pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches to the prevention and treatment of these diseases.

scholarly journals Journal of The Nepal Medical Association- Editorial

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. III-XII
Author(s):  
JNMA Editorial
Keyword(s):  
Medical Association ◽  
Pulmonary Oedema ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Mountain Sickness

Man And The MountainsHIgh Altitude Pulmonary Oedema And Acute Mountain Sickness 

High altitude deterioration

1954 ◽  
Vol 143 (910) ◽  
pp. 40-42 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Hard Work ◽  
High Altitudes ◽  
Appetite Loss ◽  
Prolonged Stay ◽  
Loss Of Weight ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Mountain Sickness

High altitude deterioration means a gradual diminution in man’s capacity to do work at great heights. This is associated with insomnia, lack of appetite, loss of weight and increasing lethargy. These symptoms appear after a prolonged stay above 18000 ft. and there is great individual variation. Man would deteriorate after a time at these heights even under the best con­ditions: if he is doing hard work and is subjected to many strains, mental and physical, other factors are brought to bear which will aggravate this basic state. Such factors are illness, exhaustion, starvation and dehydration. Symptoms similar to those of deterioration, but more acute in onset, appear if man goes too quickly to high altitudes without first acclimatizing. These symptoms of acute mountain sickness disappear if the subject returns to lower levels for some time. If he goes to moderate heights when acclimatizing he will be able to stay for reasonably long periods without undue trouble. Exhaustion at high altitudes is often only cured by coming down to lower levels, as above a certain height there seems to be little or no recovery.

Nocturnal periodic breathing and arterial oxygen desaturation in acute mountain sickness

1994 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukinori Matsuzawa ◽  
Toshio Kobayashi ◽  
Keisaku Fujimoto ◽  
Shinji Yamaguchi ◽  
Shiro Shinozaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Periodic Breathing ◽  
Oxygen Desaturation ◽  
Arterial Oxygen ◽  
Mountain Sickness

Commercial flight and patients with intracranial mass lesions: a caveat

2006 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 627-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludvic U. Zrinzo ◽  
Matthew Crocker ◽  
Laurence V. Zrinzo ◽  
David G. T. Thomas ◽  
Laurence Watkins
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Neurological Deterioration ◽  
Mild Degree ◽  
Airline Passengers ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
High Altitude Cerebral Edema ◽  
Mountain Sickness ◽  
Commercial Flight ◽  
Mass Lesions

✓The authors report two cases of neurological deterioration following long commercial flights. Both individuals harbored intracranial space-occupying lesions. The authors assert that preexisting reduced intracranial compliance diminishes an individual’s reserve to accommodate the physiological changes resulting from a commercial flight. Airline passengers are exposed to a mild degree of hypercapnia as well as conditions that simulate those of high-altitude ascents. High-altitude cerebral edema following an ascent to great heights is one facet of acute mountain sickness and can be life threatening in conditions similar to those present on commercial flights. Comparable reports documenting neurological deterioration at high altitudes in patients with coexisting space-occupying lesions were also reviewed.

Accuracy and Reliability of Pulse O2 Saturation Measured by a Wrist-worn Oximeter

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Hermand ◽  
Clemence Coll ◽  
Jean-Paul Richalet ◽  
Francois J. Lhuissier
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Absolute Error ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Good Reliability ◽  
Intraclass Correlations ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Mountain Sickness ◽  
Rest And Exercise

AbstractThis study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the Garmin Forerunner 245 heart rate (HR) and pulse O2 saturation (SpO2) sensors compared with electrocardiogram and medical oximeter, from sea level to high altitude. Ten healthy subjects underwent five tests in normoxia and hypoxia (simulated altitudes from 3000 to 5500 m), consisting in a 5-min rest phase, followed by 5-min of mild exercise. Absolute error (±10 bpm for HR and ±3% for SpO2, around criterion) and intraclass correlations (ICC) were calculated. Error rates for HR remained under 10%, except at 3000 m, and ICCs evidenced a good reliability between Garmin and criterion. Overall SpO2 was higher than criterion (P<0.001) with a >50% error rate (>80% above 4800 m), and a poor reliability with criterion. The Garmin device displayed acceptable HR data at rest and exercise for all altitudes, but failed to provide trustworthy SpO2 values, especially at high altitude, where a pronounced arterial O2 desaturation could lead to acute mountain sickness in hypoxia-sensitive subjects, and its life-threatening complications; moreover, readings of overestimated SpO2 values might induce trekkers into further hazardous behavior by pursuing an ascent while being already at risk. Therefore, its use to assess SpO2 should be proscribed in altitude for acclimatization evaluation.

scholarly journals Association between ACTN3 and acute mountain sickness

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Muller Bottura ◽  
Giscard Humberto Oliveira Lima ◽  
Debora Cristina Hipolide ◽  
João Bosco Pesquero
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Muscle Fibers ◽  
Genetic Differences ◽  
Type I ◽  
Simulated Altitude ◽  
High Altitudes ◽  
Metabolic Processes ◽  
Mountain Sickness

Abstract Background During the process of acclimatization, when our organism needs to adjust several metabolic processes in the attempt of establishing a better oxygenation, it is normal that individuals present some symptoms that can lead to the disease of the mountain. However, not everyone presents such symptoms and individuals native of high altitudes regions present genetic differences compared to natives of low altitudes which can generate a better acute adaptation. One of these differences is the higher proportion of type I muscle fibers, which may originate from the R577X polymorphism of the ACTN3 gene. The aim of this study was to compare the response of individuals with different ACTN3 genotypes at simulated 4500 m altitude on the presence of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) symptoms. Twenty-three volunteers (RR = 7, RX = 8, XX = 8) spent 4 hours exposed to a simulated altitude of 4500 m inside a normobaric hypoxia chamber. Lactate and glucose concentrations, SpO2, heart rate and the symptoms of AMS were analyzed immediately before entering the chamber and at each hour of exposure. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software. Results Our results point to an association between AMS symptoms and the presence of R allele from R577X polymorphism. Conclusion We conclude that individuals with at least one R allele of the R577X polymorphism seems to be more susceptible to the effects of hypoxia during the acclimatization process and may develop AMS symptoms.

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