Altitude sickness pre-course materials

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=815215" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#DDDDDD" FACE="Arial" ><B>Backcountry Workshops</b><B>     </b></FONT><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Backcountry Workshops"><U><B>Home</b></U></A><B>  |  </b><A HREF="backcountry_trip_planners.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BACKCOUNTRY TRIP PLANNERS"><U><B>Backcountry Trip Planners</b></U></A><B>   </b></div> <div> <A HREF="training_to_climb_mt__whitney.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Training for Whitney selfstudy"><U><B>Training to climb Mt. 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Whitney</b></I></U></A><I><B>   |   </b></I><A HREF="snowshoeing_self_study_guide.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Snowshoeing precourse materials"><U><I><B>Snowshoeing Self Study Guide</b></I></U></A><I><B>   |   </b></I><I><B>Altitude sickness self study</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Altitude sickness self study</U></b></div> <div>  <A NAME="top"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <B>Altitude sickness is a life threatening illness and requires immediate diagnosis and treatment.  Specifically, if you suspect you or a member of your party is suffering from advanced altutude sickness, you must immediately transport them to a lower altitude.  Delay could result in death or perminant injury. </b> </div> <bR> <div> Altitude sickness can take many forms, including AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), and HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema).  </div> <bR> <div> <B>AMS</b></div> <div> <I>Accute Mountain Sickness</I> is defined as a syndrome of symptoms occuring in many people when they go to altitude.  Symptoms include headache, nausea, weakness, elevated pulse and breathing rates, lack of appetite, and a general feeling of malaise.  Symptom onset may occur up to several days after the patient attives at altitude and usually subside after 24-72 hours.  People may predispose themselves by lack of sleep, exhaustion, going to altitude too quickly, dehydration, or drinking alcohol or other diuretics or by being obese.  In most cases symptoms reduce after 24-48 hours.  If symptoms do not improve, if they increase, or if symptoms are severe, the patient must be taken to lower altitude to recover.</div> <bR> <div> <B>HAPE</b></div> <div> <I>High Altitude Pulmonary Edema</I>, is the leaking of fluid into the lungs.  This condition causes symptoms similar to those of asthma or pneumonia, and is extremely dangerous.  If you or anyone in your party exhibits symptoms or signs of HAPE, the must be removed to lower altitude immediately.  Signs include rails, or lung crackles, especially on the exhale.  Raspy coughing, trouble breathing, pink fluid being coughed up, or extreme breathing difficulties are all signs of HAPE.  If in doubt, evacuate the patient immediately to lower altitude.  Any person showing signs or symptoms of HAPE has a life threatening illness and must be evacuated to lower altitude immediately or risk death.</div> <bR> <div> <B>HACE</b></div> <div> <I>High Altitude Cerebral Edema</I> is brain swelling caused by rapid ascent to altitude, or exposure to extreme altitude.  Signs include brain dysfunction similar to stroke and may include ataxia (lack of balance), loss of coordination, slurred speech, and inability to think well leading to poor judgment.  Symptoms may include severe headache, blurred vision, tunnel vision and blind spots.  Any person showing signs or symptoms of HACE has a life threatening illness and must be evacuated to lower altitude immediately or risk death.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Please educate yourself further about AMS, HAPE and HACE.  It could save your life or the life of a friend.</b></div> <bR> <div> <B><U> <A NAME="further_reading"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U></b><B><U>Further Reading</U></b>:</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Mountaineering, Freedom of the Hills, 6</b><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#DDDDDD" FACE="Arial" ><B>th</b></FONT><B> ed.</b></div> <div> By Graydon and Hanson</div> <div> The Mountaineers </div> <div> 1001sw Klickitat Way, Seattle, WA 98134</div> <div> ISBN 0-89886-426-7 (cloth)</div> <div> ISBN 0-89886-427-5 (paper)</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>