High altitude illness occurs when the body has difficulty adjusting to low oxygen levels at high elevations. Mild forms include acute mountain sickness with headaches and fatigue. More severe forms are high altitude cerebral edema, where the brain swells, and high altitude pulmonary edema, where the lungs fill with fluid. To prevent illness, people should ascend gradually to high elevations, stay hydrated, and rest adequately. If symptoms occur, descending to lower elevations provides the best treatment.

1. HIGH ALTITUDE
ILLNESS
By:- ROHIT MISHRA

2. Definition
• High-altitude illness, or sickness, is a condition
that can occur when your body doesn’t get
enough oxygen.
• It is a common problem people have when
they go to the mountains.
• When you go from low to high altitudes, your
body has a hard time adjusting to the change
in oxygen levels.

3. CAUSES

4. All people are
susceptible to
altitude illness,
but to varying
and largely
unpredictable
degrees.

5. WHERE??..
• Most cases are seen at
elevation above 8,000 ft.,
although it is observed as low
as 5,000 ft.

6. PHYSIOLOGY
• Increased in respiratory rate and
depth
• Increases blood pH
• Increase urination to buffer the
change

7. Physiology of altitude acclimatization
• Increase in red blood cell production
• Increase in the ability to efficiently
carry and use oxygen

8. PREVENTION
• Maintain hydration
• Maintain nutrition
• Climb high and sleep low
• Ascend gradually; 2,000 ft./day above 8,000 ft.
• Pay attention to past history of altitude illness.
• Consider prophylactic use of diamox
(acetazolamide).
• Maintain a high index of suspicion for any
changes in behaviour or ability to walk.
• Avoid alcohol and vigorous exercise.

9. ACUTE MOUNTAIN
SICKNESS
• It is a common
discomfort experienced
at elevation.
• is the negative health
effect of high altitude,
caused by rapid
exposure to low
amounts of oxygen at
high elevation.

10. SYMPTOMS OF AMS
Mild AMS feels much more like a hangover

11. Severe AMS
• Altered LOR/ataxia
• Rales (fluid sounds in lungs)
• Cyanosis, shortness of breath at rest
• Poor overall impression (lassitude →
unresponsiveness →death)

12. HIGH-ALTITUDE CEREBRAL EDEMA
• High-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is a
medical condition in which the brain swells
with fluid because of the physiological effects
of traveling to a high altitude.

13. PHYSIOLOGY
• Susceptible individuals have increased
cerebral blood flow and increased intracranial
pressure (ICP).
• Neurologic compromise results from
increasing ICP.

14. Sign and Symptoms
• Any of those associated with AMS
• Altered LOR
• Ataxia
• Nausea/vomiting
• Vision disturbances (tunnel vision, blindness,
etc.) and/or hallucinations
• Unresponsiveness → death

15. HIGH ALTITUDE PULMONARY EDEMA
• A progression of AMS in which fluid
accumulates in the alveoli and membranes of
the lungs.
• Pulmonary function decreases as fluid
accumulates.
• It is the most common cause of non-
traumatic death at elevation.

16. Sign and symptoms
• Any of those associated with AMS or HACE
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness
• Rales (sound of fluid in lungs)
• Coughing fits
• Bloody or pink frothy sputum
• Cyanosis
• Unresponsiveness → death

17. Treatment of altitude illness
• Hydration, rest and nutrition for mild AMS.
• Descent for severe AMS, HAPE or HACE.
• Supplement oxygen, if available.
• Pressure breathing (pursed lips during exhalation)
• Gamow bag for hyperbaric oxygenation, if
available.
• Medication available by prescription:
acetazolamide, dexamethasone, albuterol

18. Criteria for altitude illness
• Hypoxia from high elevation puts a stress on
the body than can mimic, hide or exacerbate
other medical problems.

19. THANK YOU