When traveling to high places, such as mountainous areas, environmental changes can affect you, such as cold air, low humidity, increased UV radiation from the sun, increased air pressure, and decreased oxygen saturation. Altitude sickness is the body's response to low air pressure and oxygen, which usually occurs at altitudes greater than 8,000 feet. If you are going to be traveling to high places, follow these few easy steps to prevent altitude sickness.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Preventing Altitude Drunk
Step 1. Climb slowly
When going to high places, you should climb slowly. Generally, the body needs three to five days at altitudes above 8,000 feet to acclimate to its surroundings before heading to higher ground. To work around this, especially if the place you're going to doesn't have an elevation marker, buy an altimeter or watch with an altitude gauge so you know how high you've been. You can buy these items online or at a mountain sports supply store.
There are several things to avoid. Don't go over 9,000 feet in one day. Don't sleep at an altitude of 1,000 or 2,000 feet higher than the night before. Always allow one day for the body to adapt every 3,300 feet
Step 2. Rest
Another way to deal with altitude sickness is to get enough rest. Domestic and international travel can change sleep patterns. This can make you tired and dehydrated, which increases your risk of altitude sickness. Before starting your hike, take a day or two to adjust to your new environment and sleep patterns, especially if you're traveling overseas.
In addition, for three or five days acclimating to the new altitude, set aside a day or two for rest before exploring the area
Step 3. Take prophylactic medication
Before you climb to high places, take medication to help. See a doctor for prophylactic medications before going. Discuss your medical history and explain that you will be going to an altitude of more than 8,000 to 9,000 feet. If you don't have allergies, your doctor may prescribe acetazolamide.
- This drug has been approved by BPOM as the prevention and treatment of acute altitude sickness. Acetazolamide is a diuretic, which increases urine production, and causes increased respiratory ventilation which allows for smoother oxygen exchange in the body.
- As prescribed, take 125mg twice daily from one day before the trip and take this medication for two days when it is at its highest.
Step 4. Try dexamethasone
If your doctor does not recommend taking acetazolamide or you are allergic, there are other options. You can take other medications such as dexamethasone, which is a steroid. Research shows that this drug reduces the frequency and intensity of acute altitude sickness.
- Take this medication as prescribed, usually taken 4 mg every 6 to 12 hours starting the day before the trip and continued until you get used to the greatest level of altitude.
- 600mg ibuprofen every 8 hours can also prevent acute altitude sickness.
- Ginkgo biloba has been studied for the treatment and prevention of altitude sickness, but the results vary and are not recommended for use.
Step 5. Check your red blood cells
Before traveling, you may need to have a red blood cell test. See a doctor to have this test done before going. If it turns out that you have anemia or lack of red blood cells, your doctor will advise you to correct this before leaving. This is important, because red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues and organs and are needed for survival.
There are many causes of low red blood cells, the most common of which is iron deficiency. Deficiency of B vitamins can also cause a shortage of red blood cells. If so, your doctor will advise you to take iron supplements or B vitamins to improve your red blood cell count
Step 6. Buy coca leaves
If you're traveling to South America or Central America to hike a mountain, you might want to buy some coca leaves while you're there. Although this leaf is banned in Indonesia, local people in South and Central America consume this leaf to prevent altitude sickness. If you travel to these areas, you can buy these leaves to chew or brew like tea.
Be aware that even a cup of tea can give a positive result on a drug test. Coca is a stimulant and research shows that coca causes biochemical changes that improve physical performance on the ground
Step 7. Drink plenty of water
Dehydration reduces your body's ability to adjust to new heights. Drink two to three liters a day starting the day before the trip. Bring extra water during your trip. Make sure to drink as much as needed on the way down.
- Do not drink alcohol during the first 48 hours of the trip. Alcohol is a depressant and can slow your breathing rate, causing dehydration.
- You should also avoid caffeinated products, such as energy drinks and soda. Caffeine can dehydrate muscles.
Step 8. Adjust your diet
There are certain foods that need to be eaten to prepare the body for the journey and prevent altitude sickness. Research shows that a high-carbohydrate diet can reduce symptoms of mountain sickness while improving mood and physical performance. Another study showed carbohydrates improve oxygen saturation in the blood in high-altitude simulation experiments. A high-carbohydrate diet is believed to improve energy balance. Follow a high-carbohydrate diet before and during the adjustment period.
- High-carbohydrate foods such as pasta, bread, fruits, and foods made from potatoes.
- Also, avoid excess salt. Too much salt can dehydrate body tissues. Choose foods labeled low-salt or no-salt at the convenience store.
- Endurance and physical exercise sound good before climbing a mountain. However, research shows that there is no evidence that physical fitness protects against altitude sickness.
Part 2 of 2: Recognizing Symptoms
Step 1. Know the types of altitude sickness
There are 3 types of altitude sickness syndrome: acute altitude sickness, high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), and altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE).
- Acute altitude sickness is caused by reduced air pressure and oxygen.
- High altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is a more severe acute altitude sickness caused by swelling of the brain and leakage of dilated brain vessels.
- High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) can occur with HACE or occur alone after acute altitude sickness, or develop one to four days after being above 8,000 feet. This occurs because the lungs are swollen due to leakage of fluid into the lungs caused by high pressure and narrowing of the blood vessels in the lungs.
Step 2. Recognize acute altitude sickness
Acute altitude sickness is a common disease in many parts of the world. This is experienced by 25% of climbers at altitudes above 8,000 feet in Colorado, 50% of climbers in the Himalayas, and 85% of climbers in the Mount Everest area. There are various symptoms of acute mountain sickness.
These symptoms include headaches at 2 to 12 hours at new heights, difficulty falling asleep or only sleeping briefly, dizziness, tiredness, dizziness, increased heart rate, shortness of breath when moving, and nausea or vomiting
Step 3. Identify high altitude cerebral edema (HACE)
Since HACE is a continuation of acute mountain sickness, you will experience the symptoms of acute mountain sickness first. As your symptoms increase, you may experience other symptoms, such as ataxia, an inability to walk straight, or staggering when walking or walking sideways. You may also experience mental changes in the form of drowsiness, confusion, and changes in speech, memory, mobility, thinking, and ability to concentrate.
- You may also lose consciousness or go into a coma.
- Unlike acute mountain sickness, HACE is rarer. It only affects 0.1% to 4% of people.
Step 4. Watch out for high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)
Since HAPE is a continuation of HACE, you may experience symptoms of acute mountain sickness as well as HACE. But because this can happen on its own, you should pay attention to any symptoms. You may experience dyspnea, which is shortness of breath at rest. You may also feel tightness and pain in your chest, make noises when exhaling, shortness of breath and fast heart beat, weakness, and coughing.
- You may also experience physical changes such as cyanosis, which is a condition in which your mouth and fingers turn a darker or bluish color.
- Like HACE, HAPE is also relatively rare, with an incidence rate of 0.1% to 4%.
Step 5. Manage symptoms
Even if you try to prevent altitude sickness, it can still happen. If so, you have to be careful so that the disease does not get worse. If you have acute mountain sickness, wait for symptoms to subside for up to 12 hours. Try to get down at least 1,000 feet immediately if symptoms don't subside within 12 hours or even sooner if symptoms are severe. If you are unable to descend, treatment with oxygen, if present, will help relieve symptoms. At this stage, check again if the symptoms have subsided.
- If you experience HACE or HAPE symptoms, get down immediately with as little force as possible so as not to make your symptoms worse. Check periodically to see if the symptoms have subsided.
- If it is not possible to descend due to weather conditions or other reasons, give supplemental oxygen to increase the oxygen pressure. Put on the oxygen mask and connect the mask hose to the tank. Flow oxygen. You can also enter a portable hyperbaric chamber. If this equipment is available, you may not need to go down if your symptoms are not too severe and your condition improves after treatment. This equipment is a light machine that is usually available at the rescue post or carried by the rescue team. If there is a radio or telephone, report the incident to the rescue team and tell them your location and wait for them to arrive
Step 6. Take emergency medicine
There are several medications your doctor can give you for emergencies. For the treatment of acute mountain sickness, doctors can give acetazolamide or dexamethasone. For HACE treatment, you can be given dexamethasone. Take the medicine immediately and swallow with water.
Doctors can also prescribe emergency medications in case of HAPE, which are medications for HAPE prophylaxis and treatment. Small studies show that some medications reduce the likelihood of developing HAPE if taken 24 hours before a trip. These medications include nifedipine (Procardia), salmeterol (Serevent), phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (tadalafil, Cialis), and sildenafil (Viagra)
Warning
- If you experience symptoms of altitude sickness, do not continue climbing, especially to sleep.
- Drop if symptoms get worse or don't go away even at rest.
- If you have certain diseases, your condition can decrease when you are at altitude. You may also need a medical check-up by a doctor before your trip to ensure safety. These include arrhythmias, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, diabetes, and sickle cell disease. You are also at risk of getting sick if you are taking narcotic painkillers, which cause your breathing to drop.
- Pregnant women should not sleep at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet.
