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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

21/11/24 10:20 AM IST

High-altitude sickness

In News
  • Every year, numerous tourists like this succumb to the effects of high-altitude sickness in the pristine but challenging inner Himalayas. 
High Altitude Sickness
  • High-altitude sickness, or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), occurs when the body cannot acclimatise to high elevations, typically over 8,000 feet (2,400 metres).
  • As altitude increases, the air pressure and oxygen levels decrease, leading to hypoxia — a shortage of oxygen in the body’s tissues.
  • Early symptoms of AMS include headache, nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
  • If left untreated, it can escalate into high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), a life-threatening condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs, or high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), where fluid collects in the brain.
  • Both conditions require immediate medical intervention, and descent to lower altitudes is often the only way to prevent fatal outcomes.
  • At higher altitudes, the body tries to adjust by increasing the breathing rate, which can cause hyperventilation, and produce more red blood cells to carry oxygen, which thickens the blood and strains the heart.
  • In cases of HAPE, fluid accumulation in the lungs exacerbates breathing difficulties, while HACE causes symptoms like confusion, hallucinations, and even coma.
Infrastructural issues
  • While the Himalayan States witness a steady stream of tourists, healthcare facilities beyond major towns like Shimla are inadequate to handle cases of high-altitude sickness.
  • Leh, in the Union Territory of Ladakh, serves as a model, having developed specialised facilities for high-altitude ailments.
  • Yet, most high-altitude regions lack this kind of infrastructure. Immediate and preventive health measures are also lacking.
  • Basic preventive screenings or health checks at entry points for tourists venturing into high-altitude areas could save lives.
  • Such protocols could mirror the erstwhile “Inner Line Permit” system, whereby tourists entering high-altitude zones such as Kinnaur or Lahaul-Spiti undergo screenings at base hospitals.
Treatment 
  • When high-altitude sickness does develop, the most effective treatment is immediate descent to lower altitudes.
  • Symptoms usually improve significantly with a descent of 300-1,000 metres.
  • Supplemental oxygen or a portable hyperbaric chamber, if available, can also help alleviate symptoms of AMS and HACE in emergencies.
  • Pharmacological treatments, such as acetazolamide and dexamethasone, may provide short-term relief, but descent remains the cornerstone of treatment. 
  • The following steps are recommended — establish state-of-the-art medical facilities in high-altitude regions of the Himalayas; create research centres dedicated to studying high-altitude illnesses; equip Himalayan States with air-ambulance services for rapid medical evacuation in emergencies; and provide health and safety information on government websites and at check-in points. 
Source- The Hindu

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