Neurointervention.  2016 Sep;11(2):73-77. 10.5469/neuroint.2016.11.2.73.

Altitude Stress During Participation of Medical Congress

• Kim SB
• Kim JS
• Kim SJ
• Cho SH
• Suh DC

• KMID: 2350683
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5469/neuroint.2016.11.2.73

Abstract

Medical congresses often held in highlands. We reviewed several medical issues associated with altitude stress especially while physicians have participated medical congress held in high altitude. Altitude stress, also known as an acute mountain sickness (AMS), is caused by acute exposure to low oxygen level at high altitude which is defined as elevations at or above 1,200 m and AMS commonly occurs above 2,500 m. Altitude stress with various symptoms including insomnia can also be experienced in airplane. AMS and drunken state share many common features in symptoms, neurologic manifestations and even show multiple microbleeds in corpus callosum and white matter on MRI. Children are more susceptible to altitude stress than adults. Gradual ascent is the best method for the prevention of altitude stress. Adequate nutrition (mainly carbohydrates) and hydration are recommended. Consumption of alcohol can exacerbate the altitude-induced impairments in judgment and the visual senses and promote psychomotor dysfunction. For prevention or treatment of altitude stress, acetazolamide, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, dexamethasone and erythropoietin are helpful. Altitude stress can be experienced relatively often during participation of medical congress. It is necessary to remind the harmful effect of AMS because it can cause serious permanent organ damage even though the symptoms are negligible in most cases.

Keyword

Altitude stress; Acute Mountain Sickness; Airplane, Alcohol

MeSH Terms

Acetazolamide
Adult
Aircraft
Altitude Sickness
Altitude*
Child
Corpus Callosum
Dexamethasone
Erythropoietin
Humans
Judgment
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Methods
Neurologic Manifestations
Oxygen
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
White Matter
Acetazolamide
Dexamethasone
Erythropoietin
Oxygen
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Two representative medical meeting places in high altitude (A) the Alps in Europe (B) the Rocky Mountains in the North America.Parentheses indicate height in meter.

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  Fig. 2 A 52-year-old female shows numerous microbleeds in the corpus callosum and both cerebral subcortical deep white matter on susceptibility weighted imaging. Those MRI findings were regarded a sequel after acute mountain sickness

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