The term "high-altitude illness" is used to describe the cerebraland pulmonary syndromes that can develop in unacclimatized personsshortly after ascent to high altitude. Acute mountain sicknessand high-altitude cerebral edema refer to the cerebral abnormalities,and high-altitude pulmonary edema to the pulmonary abnormalities.Because millions of visitors travel to high-altitude locationseach year, acute mountain sickness is a public health problemand has economic consequences, especially for the ski industry.High-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema,though uncommon, are potentially fatal. High-altitude illnessalso provides a useful model for studying the pathophysiologicalprocess of hypoxia in an . . . [Full Text of this Article]
Epidemiologic Process and Risk Factors
Acute Mountain Sickness and High-Altitude Cerebral Edema
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis
Pathophysiological Process
Treatment and Prevention
High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis
Pathophysiological Process
Susceptibility
Treatment and Prevention
Source Information
From the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver (P.H.H., R.C.R.); the Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center, Grand Junction, Colo. (P.H.H.); and New Mexico Resonance, Albuquerque (R.C.R.).
Address reprint requests to Dr. Hackett at the International Society for Mountain Medicine, 610 Sabeta Dr., Ridgway, CO 81432-9335, or at hackett@ismmed.org.
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