People with the lowest initial partial pressure of pCO2 at the end of the tide (the lowest concentration of carbon dioxide at the end of the respiratory cycle, a higher measure of alveolar ventilation) and consequently high oxygen saturation levels tend to have a lower incidence of acute mountain sickness than those with high pCO2 at the end of the tide and low saturation in oxygen. [10] At very high altitudes, from 3,500 to 5,500 metres (11,500 to 18,000 feet), maximum SaO2 falls below 90% when arterial PO2 falls below 60 mmHg. Extreme hypoxemia may occur during exercise, during sleep and with high-altitude pulmonary edema or other acute lung diseases. Severe altitude sickness is most common in this region. [11] If symptoms of altitude sickness are ignored, they can lead to life-threatening conditions that affect the brain or lungs. The onset of high-altitude pulmonary edema may be gradual or sudden. High-altitude pulmonary edema usually occurs after more than one day at high altitude. High-altitude pulmonary edema requires immediate treatment. If you are at risk for low red blood cell counts (anemia), ask your provider if your planned trip is safe. Also, ask if an iron supplement is right for you. Anemia reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood.
This makes you more likely to get altitude sickness. A more severe form of altitude sickness is altitude edema. This condition occurs when fluid builds up in the lungs, a condition that can make breathing extremely difficult. Usually this happens after the second night at high altitude, but it can happen sooner or later. Consider traveling with these altitude sickness medications: After 2 to 3 days, your body should have adapted to the altitude and your symptoms should disappear. Altitude sickness doesn`t just affect mountaineers. Tourists traveling to cities 2,500m above sea level or higher, such as Bolivia`s La Paz or Colombia`s Bogotá, can also develop altitude sickness. High-altitude pulmonary edema, an advanced form of altitude sickness, causes symptoms to progress further.
The person may have: AHA is a life-threatening condition that can lead to coma or death. Symptoms include headache, fatigue, blurred vision, bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, loss of coordination, paralysis on one side of the body, and confusion. Descent to lower altitudes can save people affected by ECHA. Altitude sickness can first occur at 1,500 meters (4,900 feet), with effects becoming severe at extreme altitudes (over 5,500 meters (18,000 feet)). Only short trips of more than 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) are possible and supplemental oxygen is needed to avoid disease. The cause of altitude sickness is a matter of oxygen physiology. At sea level, the oxygen concentration is about 21% and the average atmospheric pressure is 760 mmHg. With increasing altitude, the concentration remains the same, but the number of oxygen molecules per respiration is reduced. At 12,000 feet (3,658 meters), the barometric pressure is only 483 mmHg, so there are about 40% fewer oxygen molecules per respiration.
In order to effectively oxygenate the body, your breathing rate (even at rest) must be increased. This additional ventilation increases the oxygen content in the blood, but not at sea level. Since the amount of oxygen needed for activity is the same, the body must adapt to having less oxygen. In addition, high altitudes and lower atmospheric pressure cause fluid to leak from the capillaries, which can lead to water retention in the lungs and brain. Continuing to travel at higher altitudes without proper acclimatization can lead to potentially serious or even fatal illnesses. HAPE, when fluid builds up in the lungs, prevents oxygen from moving through your body. You need medical treatment for HAPE. Symptoms include: Most people who have altitude sickness contract MAM, acute mountain sickness. Higher than 10,000 feet, 75% of people have mild symptoms. There are three categories of MAM: Pre-acclimatization is when the body develops a tolerance to low oxygen concentrations before climbing to an altitude. This significantly reduces the risk as less time has to be spent at altitude to acclimatize in the traditional way.
As less time has to be spent on the mountain, less food and supplies have to be consumed. There are several commercial systems that use altitude tents, so called because they mimic altitude by reducing the amount of oxygen in the air while keeping atmospheric pressure constant relative to the environment. Examples of pre-acclimatization measures include remote ischemic preconditioning, the use of hypobaric air respiration to simulate altitude, and positive expiratory pressure. [14] Your risk also depends on where you live and your height, your age (young people are more likely to have it), and whether you`ve ever had altitude sickness. You can also talk to your doctor about taking acetazolamide before your trip. Taking it 24 hours before traveling to high altitude and continuing for five days can help prevent altitude sickness. Dexamethasone can also be used as a preventative measure, but can have serious side effects. Talk to your supplier before you travel. high-altitude cerebral edema and high-altitude pulmonary edema most often occur at very high altitudes; However, they can occur at high altitudes in some people.
Herbal supplements and traditional medications are sometimes suggested to prevent altitude sickness, including ginkgo biloba, R crenulata, minerals such as iron, antacids, and hormonal supplements such as medroxyprogesterone and erythropoietin. [14] The medical evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of these approaches is often contradictory or inadequate. [14] Indigenous peoples of the Americas, such as the Aymaras of the Altiplano, have been chewing coca leaves for centuries to relieve symptoms of mild altitude sickness. This therapy has not yet been shown to be effective in a clinical trial. [32] In traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine, an extract of the root tissue of Radix rhodiola is often taken to prevent symptoms of altitude sickness, but no clear medical studies have confirmed the effectiveness or safety of this extract. [33] DIAMOX (acetazolamide) allows a person to breathe faster and thus metabolize more oxygen, thus minimizing the symptoms caused by poor oxygenation. This is especially useful at night when breathing drive is reduced. Since it takes some time for DIAMOX to have an effect, it is advisable to start taking it 24 hours before the high-altitude flight and continue at higher altitude for at least 5 days. Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), can become a medical emergency if ignored.