Acute mountain sickness and obesity.

Obesity is a risk factor for acute mountain sickness: a prospective study in Tibet railway construction workers on Tibetan plateau.

OBJECTIVE Although few retrospective studies of high altitude have reported that obesity might be associated with the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS), this association has not been fully studied prospectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of obesity on subjects with acute high-altitude exposure. PATIENTS AND METHODS Totally 262 male subjects aged 25-43 (mea...

Respiratory rate within the first hour of ascent predicts subsequent acute mountain sickness severity.

BACKGROUND Altitude illness results from hypobaric hypoxia at altitudes higher than 2500 meters above sea level. To determine whether vital signs can be used as predictors for severe acute mountain sickness, we carried out a prospective observational study. METHODS A cohort of 90 individuals (male/female ratio: 2; age: 13 - 65 years) in a mountain hotel's clinic at 3450 meters in Iran were st...

The prevention of acute mountain sickness – the effect of theophylline and acetazolamide in prevention of acute mountain sickness

Acute mountain sickness is related to nocturnal hypoxemia but not to hypoventilation.

The purpose of the study was to investigate determinants of acute mountain sickness after rapid ascent to high altitude. A total of 21 climbers were studied ascending from <1,200 m to Capanna Regina Margherita, a hut in the Alps at 4,559 m, within <24 h. During their overnight stay at 4,559 m, breathing patterns and ventilation were recorded by calibrated respiratory inductive plethysmography a...

Ibuprofen prevents altitude illness: a randomized controlled trial for prevention of altitude illness with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Acute mountain sickness occurs in more than 25% of the tens of millions of people who travel to high altitude each year. Previous studies on chemoprophylaxis with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are limited in their ability to determine efficacy. We compare ibuprofen versus placebo in the prevention of acute mountain sickness incidence and severity on ascent from low to hig...