Altitude Related Disorders

Key points

• Altitude related disorders There are three main types of altitude related disorders: acute mountain sickness (AMS), which may progress to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) or high altitude cerebral edema (HACE).
• fatigue Prevention and treatment of AMS
• the risk of AMS may actually be positively correlated to physical fitness
• gain altitude at no more than 500 m per day
• acetazolamide (a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor) is widely used to prevent AMS and has a supporting evidence base