A compulsory course for plateau travel: understanding altitude sickness

Author: Bai Yuting, deputy chief physician of Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital

Wan Yaqi Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital

Wang Bo Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital

Reviewer: Zhang Qiang, Qi Yujuan, Chief Physician, Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as the highest plateau in the world, is known as the "Roof of the World", with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters. However, it is this magnificence and uniqueness that also poses a severe test to the health of visitors. While enjoying the beauty of the plateau, we must be aware that the plateau environment is not easy for everyone to control, especially the altitude sickness hidden behind the beauty, which is a health threat that travelers cannot ignore. Next, let us unveil the mystery of altitude sickness and explore the health challenges that may be encountered on the plateau. Understanding altitude sickness is not only to better enjoy the scenery of the journey, but also to protect our precious life and health.

1. What is altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness is an idiopathic disease that occurs in a low-oxygen environment at high altitudes. The main cause of the disease is plateau hypoxia. Once out of the low-oxygen environment, the condition usually improves. Altitude sickness is divided into acute and chronic types according to the severity of the onset.

Acute mountain sickness usually occurs when entering a plateau from a plain or entering a higher altitude area from a lower altitude. The human body cannot adapt to the low pressure and low oxygen environment within a few hours to a few days, resulting in compensatory dysfunction, which in turn causes a type of plateau disease. The main symptoms are headache, dizziness, palpitations, chest tightness, shortness of breath, fatigue, etc. In severe cases, nausea, vomiting, cyanosis, oliguria and other discomforts may also occur.

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Acute mountain sickness is divided into mild and severe types. Mild type is acute mountain sickness. Patients need to stay in bed, breathe oxygen, drink plenty of water, eat light and easily digestible food, and keep their emotions stable. Severe type includes high-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema. Patients with high-altitude pulmonary edema may experience difficulty breathing or even coma. High-altitude cerebral edema is mainly manifested by severe headache, vomiting, ataxia, progressive impaired consciousness, etc. If severe acute mountain sickness occurs, the situation is extremely dangerous and you must seek medical attention immediately.

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Chronic mountain sickness generally occurs in people who have lived in the plateau for more than one year, or due to the persistence of acute mountain sickness, such as high-altitude heart disease, high-altitude polycythemia, high-altitude hypertension, high-altitude decline, etc. The clinical symptoms of chronic mountain sickness vary in severity and are complex and diverse. The most common symptoms are headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue, memory loss, etc. In addition, chronic mountain sickness may also cause irreversible damage to tissues and organs, seriously affecting the patient's quality of life.

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2. Make adequate preparations before coming to the plateau to prevent altitude sickness

1. Understand the relevant knowledge about the plateau and maintain a good attitude.

2. Prevent upper respiratory tract infection and keep warm and rest.

3. Take a health check-up to ensure that you are in good physical condition to travel to the plateau.

4. Carry out appropriate adaptive exercises to enhance the body's ability to adapt to the plateau environment.

5. According to the doctor's advice, take hypoxia-resistant drugs in advance to alleviate the symptoms of altitude sickness.

6. Bring sunscreen, skin care products and other products to cope with the strong ultraviolet radiation and dry climate in the plateau.

3. How to prevent altitude sickness after entering the plateau

1. Control the speed of entering the plateau and avoid entering the plateau quickly to prevent the altitude sickness from worsening.

2. Pay attention to rest, keep warm and maintain a reasonable diet.

3. Gradually increase the amount of activity, reduce and avoid strenuous exercise, excessive fatigue and mood swings.

4. Avoid drinking strong tea, coffee, cola and other beverages containing stimulant ingredients, smoke less, avoid taking sedatives and hypnotics, and strictly prohibit excessive drinking.

5. Avoid contact with domestic or wild animals.

6. If you feel any discomfort, you should rest and breathe oxygen in time. If necessary, seek medical attention nearby.

In short, as long as you are fully prepared before going to the plateau, you can effectively reduce the adverse effects of the plateau environment on your health. Moreover, going to the plateau more often may be good for your health. If you regularly live in a plateau at an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 meters, you can enhance the adaptive functions of the heart, lungs, and brain to a certain extent. At the same time, the plateau's characteristic butter tea can also help resist the cold climate of the plateau. If you experience symptoms such as dizziness, headache, palpitations, chest tightness, and shortness of breath on the plateau, you should rest immediately and breathe oxygen, and go to a nearby hospital for treatment if necessary.