There is local vasoconstriction due to local hypoxia (or low oxygen). “What’s really going on here is you see lower levels of oxygen and air pressure-almost anyone can be vulnerable, given the right conditions. The principle behind altitude sickness is simple, though there are many aspects that remain poorly understood. “And if you’ve had it before, the likelihood of getting it again is higher.” “Other than that, there doesn’t seem to be any other pre-defining risks we can identify at this point,” Bull said, though it is an active area of investigation at the University of Colorado. It doesn’t seem to be related to age or sex, although people with underlying heart and lung issues may be more vulnerable. There’s no definitive answer to that, he said. Also avoid sedatives, such as benzodiazepines-“They can sometimes worsen it, as well.” Who gets altitude sickness ? He also suggested avoiding significant alcohol intake during the first 24 to 48 hours, because it can exacerbate the problem. “That helps decrease the incidence and severity,” he said. If coming from sea level, he suggested the visitor stop in Denver or Colorado Springs or somewhere along the Front Range for a night to acclimate to that altitude first. “If someone comes from Florida or Texas and goes right up to Winter Park or Vail, it’s more likely to happen than if they acclimate more slowly,” he said. The risk factors are related to rate of ascent. Milder symptoms include headache, insomnia and nausea, but victims can also suffer more serious consequences.Īltitude sickness can become acute mountain sickness, which includes cerebral edema (HACE) or pulmonary edema (HAPE), both of which can be life-threatening, he said. Todd Bull, medical director of the UCHealth Comprehensive Lung and Breathing Program “It is difficult to put exact numbers to this,” Bull said, although “reported incidence in visitors sleeping 8,000 feet or higher is between 15 and 40 percent. The incidence depends on how high people are going (and from what starting altitude) and how fast they ascend.” Dr.
Though it is fairly common, it often is not identified as altitude sickness, he said, which makes it hard to establish how often it really happens. You can get it even just going from Denver to 10,000 or 11,000 feet,” said Bull, a Grand Junction native.
“Many people in Colorado experience various stages of altitude sickness every day. Climbing the world’s tallest peaks despite deadly prostate cancer diagnosis.