What is Altitude Sickness?

Those people who have made a plan to travel to the mountains for skiing, backpacking, trekking, mountain climbing etc. must ascertain that they would reach a height of less than 8000 feet i.e. 2400 meters. If they aim for more than this height, they must garner information about "Altitude Sickness". The other terms are "high-altitude illness" or "mountain sickness".

A Prelude
As the height from sea level increases, the amount of oxygen in the air decreases. At a height of about 8000 feet, the oxygen level becomes very less. Normally, people live at less altitudes and are not accustomed to the low level of oxygen. Therefore, the body does not function normally. This is termed as "altitude sickness".

Altitude sickness is of three types

• acute mountain sickness
• high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)
• high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE)

The condition of those suffering from this illness may become very grave.

Initial symptoms

• weakness
• headache
• upset stomach
• lightheadedness
• absence of sound sleep

If these symptoms appear, one should descend to a lesser altitude, till the symptoms vanish.

Severe symptoms

• hindrance to breathe normally, although body is at rest
• failure to walk along a straight path
• coughing
• confusion

In case such symptoms pester, the sufferer must move to a lower altitude and get assistance from a physician.

Treatment
Medicines prescribed to treat high altitude illness are

• acetazolamide
• nifedipine

It is very necessary to take the symptoms seriously and stop ascending. The affected persons should travel 1500 to 2000 feet towards sea level and watch if the symptoms are disappearing. The strategy is to continue the journey downwards till the symptoms are eliminated completely. In addition, following points would prove useful:

• the body requires several days to adjust to the climate. The higher the person lives from sea level, acclimatization requires lesser time. Thus, plan the trip in such a way that there is sufficient time for adjustment.
• if during the day, a person moves in a certain height range, then during the night he must sleep at a height that is lower than the height during the day by atleast 1500 feet.

Children and altitude sickness
Children require more time to acclimate. Also, they are not able to recognize the symptoms of altitude sickness. So, seniors must pay attention to towards them.

Chronic illness and altitude sickness
Those who have lung or heart disease must consider the type and severity of their illness. Coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and mild emphysema patients have a similar risk as compared to normal people. Being obese does not aggravate the risk of altitude sickness. However, those people who have sickle cell anemia, severe heart disease, severe lung disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or severe emphysema have a greater risk at high altitudes.

High-altitude pulmonary edema
HAPE generally takes place during the second night after starting ascending and increases with exertion. Young and fit trekkers or climbers are generally prone to it. The various symptoms are:

• fast and shallow breathing
• severe fatigue
• tightness in chest
• breathlessness even during rest
• cough along with frothy sputum
• drowsiness
• fingernails or lips become blue or gray

The only alternative is to descend immediately, as postponement may prove fatal.

High-altitude cerebral edema
In this, the brain stops functioning properly due to swelling. The symptoms are as follows:

• staggering while walking
• confusion and lethargy
• alteration in the capacity to think
• ataxia or loss of coordination

This condition can prove fatal within some hours or a couple of days.

If persons recognize the symptoms of altitude sickness quickly and take prompt treatment, they can avert any undesired incident.