High-Altitude Medicine

Nicholas J Johnson; Andrew M Luks

doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2015.09.002

High-Altitude Medicine

Med Clin North Am. 2016 Mar;100(2):357-69. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2015.09.002.

Authors

Nicholas J Johnson¹, Andrew M Luks²

Affiliations

¹ Critical Care Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Avenue, Box 359762, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
² Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Avenue, Box 359762, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 26900119
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcna.2015.09.002

Abstract

Individuals may seek the advice of medical providers when considering travel to high altitude. This article provides a basic framework for counseling and evaluating such patients. After defining "high altitude" and describing the key environmental features at higher elevations, the physiologic changes that occur at high altitude and how these changes are experienced by the traveler are discussed. Clinical features and strategies for prevention and treatment of the main forms of acute altitude illness are outlined, and frameworks for approaching the common clinical scenarios that may be encountered regarding high-altitude travelers are provided.

Keywords: Acute altitude illness; Acute mountain sickness; High altitude; High-altitude cerebral edema; High-altitude pulmonary edema; Prevention.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Altitude Sickness / complications*
Altitude Sickness / physiopathology
Altitude Sickness / therapy*
Brain Edema / etiology
Brain Edema / therapy
Humans
Pulmonary Edema / etiology
Pulmonary Edema / therapy
Risk Factors
Travel*