Altitude Sickness

Altitude Sickness or Mountain Sickness, condition caused by reduced oxygen press

ure at high altitudes, occurring in hikers as a consequence of relatively rapid
ascent to high altitudes. Altitude sickness comprises a range of conditions, the
most common being acute mountain sickness, which may be followed by two more cr
itical conditions: high-altitude pulmonary edema or high-altitude cerebral edema
.
The exact cause of altitude sickness is unknown, although researchers believe in
sufficient oxygen may impair the function of the sodium pumps located in cell wa
lls. Without sufficient oxygen, the pumps allow sodium levels within the cell to
rise. As a result, excess water enters the cells, causing cellular swelling, or
edema, a condition that is especially dangerous in the lungs and around the bra
in.
The common symptoms of altitude sickness are headache, shortness of breath, slee
p disturbances, and sometimes nausea. These symptoms, collectively called acute
mountain sickness (AMS), appear in nearly 20 percent of people who ascend higher
than about 2400 m (about 8000 ft) above sea level in less than one day. The hea
dache is thought to be caused by cerebral edema. Shortness of breath is caused b
y a combination of reduced environmental-oxygen pressure and by the swelling and
thickening of tissues through which oxygen must pass during respiration.
The symptoms associated with high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and high-altit
ude cerebral edema (HACE) include those of AMS as well as additional, less commo
n, symptoms. Both HAPE and HACE are more serious conditions than AMS, usually de
veloping after one to four days above about 2700 m (about 9000 ft). Symptoms cha
racterizing HAPE include strong coughing that produces a frothy, sometimes blood
-tinged, sputum. The pressure of the blood in the lungs increases, and swollen c
ells and leaking capillaries allow fluids and red blood cells to enter the air s
acs of the lungs, further impeding the delivery of oxygen. Symptoms characterizi
ng HACE include staggering, confusion, and hallucination.
People with common AMS should drink extra water to compensate for excess water l
oss, but they should take no extra salt; the headache can be treated with ibupro
fen or aspirin. AMS typically disappears within 24 to 48 hours, as the body accl
imatizes to the reduced oxygen pressure. People with advanced HAPE or HACE can d
ie within a few hours. They should be taken as soon as possible to a lower altit
ude, where improvement is usually rapid. Supplementary oxygen and pressurization
in a chamber or large bag can also be helpful. Altitude sickness can be avoided
, and acclimatization encouraged, by slow ascent: Symptoms are usually avoided b
y pausing for one day at 2000 m (7000 ft) and by ascending no more than 600 m (2
000 ft) per day above 2000 m.
Contributed By:
Kenneth E. Money
Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2005. 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights
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