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Acute mountain sickness



Respiratory system
Respiratory system


Acute mountain sickness

Alternative Names:

High altitude cerebral edema; Altitude anoxia; Altitude sickness; Mountain sickness; High altitude pulmonary edema
Symptoms:

Symptoms generally associated with mild to moderate altitude illness include:

  • Headache
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness or light-headedness
  • Rapid pulse (heart rate)
  • Shortness of breath with exertion


Symptoms generally associated with more severe altitude illness include:

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath at rest
  • Chest tightness or congestion
  • Bluish discoloration of the skin
  • Coughing up blood
  • Inability to walk in a straight line, or to walk at all
  • Decreased consciousness or withdrawal from social interaction
  • Confusion
  • Gray or pale complexion (cerebral edema)


Signs and tests:

Listening to the chest with a stethoscope (auscultation) reveals crackles in the lung fields in patients with pulmonary edema.

A chest X-ray may be performed.




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