Altitude Sickness
If you are planning to travel to high altitude, come and see us before you go and we can help you prepare – with information, advice, and medical supplies to prevent and treat mountain sickness and its complications.
Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is caused by rapid ascent to high altitude without allowing time for acclimatisation. Severe AMS can be fatal.
As a person ascends to higher altitude, atmospheric pressure and oxygen pressure fall. At an altitude of 2500 metres, oxygen pressure (the amount of oxygen in a given volume of air) is only half that at sea level.
AMS tends to occur within 2 days of exposure. It usually begins with loss of appetite, headache, nausea, vomiting, and sleeplessness – a bit like a bad “hangover.” This early, benign form may resolve, or progresses to a more serious, “malignant” form, and is an important warning.
Malignant AMS may be fatal. It may begin suddenly, affecting the lungs, the brain, or both. Features include headache, drowsiness, impaired coordination, abnormal or drunken behaviour, confusion, and impaired consciousness.
Age, sex or physical fitness have no bearing on your likelihood of getting altitude sickness, so if you are likely to be at risk, it is really important to be well-informed and well prepared.
What is Altitude Sickness?
Altitude sickness is unpleasant and if not taken seriously, can turn into something serious and life-threatening.
Oxygen levels at high altitude are lower than that at sea-level. If travellers ascend rapidly to high altitudes, the body sometimes doesn’t have sufficient time to acclimatise, resulting in altitude sickness. Flying into magnificent destinations such as Cusco in Peru, La Paz in Bolivia, travelling to Bhutan, or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, can have unpleasant or life-threatening consequences if you are poorly prepared.
What are the symptoms of Altitude Sickness?
Symptoms of altitude usually appear within 24 hours of reaching 2,500m above sea-level and higher.
Mild symptoms can be quite similar to those of a bad hangover, such as:
- headache
- nausea and vomiting
- dizziness
- tiredness
- loss of appetite
- shortness of breath
Symptoms usually worsen at night. Altitude sickness can progress rapidly to more serious forms affecting either the lungs or the brain.
Pulmonary oedema may develop – a build-up of fluid in the lungs, reducing oxygen absorption and leading to breathlessness even at rest. There is a cough, with white, pink or frothy sputum, and the lips may turn blue.
A build-up of tissue fluid may also occur in the brain – cerebral oedema.
Features include headache, drowsiness, impaired coordination, abnormal or drunken behaviour, confusion, and impaired consciousness. Progression to coma may be rapid.
Altitude Sickness Tablets for Your High-Altitude Adventures
Prepare for high-altitude travel above 2,500 meters with acetazolamide tablets.
When taken preventively, acetazolamide tablets help your body adjust more quickly to higher altitudes, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable experience at your destination.
Acetazolamide can also help alleviate symptoms associated with altitude sickness when they occur, Acetazolamide tablets are your essential companion for altitude acclimatisation.
Come to us for a pre-travel consultation to discuss your plans for high altitude travel, or try our free online consultation today.
Our Patients Speak for Us
Mark Tebbit
On repeated occasions over the last year, I have received A1 treatment from the Fleet Street Clinic. Short-notice appointments, face to face and on the phone, for emergency conditions and quick prescriptions from excellent doctors have helped me enormously. The Reception Team are also highly professional. I couldn't recommend it more strongly.
Jenny Gibson
We booked, we arrived and we had our vaccines. Everything as expected. What really stood out was the level of medical advice from the nurse giving us our injections. It was explained very clearly to us to the level of protection our vaccine would give. As this was a new vaccine the results of medical trials were also highlighted. There was no push to sell more products, just clear advice on what to avoid and what to do to prepare for our trip to the Far East.
Ella Nicholls
Recently had some travel vaccines done at Fleet Street Clinic, a very positive experience all round ! Reception team were very polite and helpful as were the nurses who made me feel at ease and offered some very valuable information! Would recommend to anyone looking for somewhere to get travel vaccines :)
JR
Have used Fleet Street Clinic a couple of times for GP services, most recently this month. The team from Reception to the GPs themselves are professional, do not rush and provide sufficient time for diagnosis and treatment discussion. I can’t fault any element of the service. They deserve more than 5 stars.
Grace G
The travel nurse was lovely and very efficient with giving me vaccines. She even took the time to nurse a wound I had whilst I was there. Really great care.
M P
We were grateful for the helpful advice they gave us and the chance to speak to a nurse before we booked our appointment. The nurse we saw was very informative, efficient and kind and the reception staff were friendly and professional.
Nicholas Grundy
I recently sought treatment at Fleet Street Clinic for painful ears; I was quickly diagnosed by Dr Hartmann. He prescribed ear drops and arranged an appointment for me a week later with Lucy Mildren. Within a week my ears were better. Everything was very efficient and I was treated with care and skill.
Mrs L Butler
From the moment I arrived I was treated with care, kindness and respect. There was no waiting around, care was highly competent, reassuring and knowledgeable. I got everything I needed in 1 trouble free visit and left grateful for the service. I would definitely use again. The building is traditional, in an historic part of London, so if you are looking for gleaming chrome and plastic minimalist clinic aesthetic this isn’t you but the service and facilities are fully up to date.
Charles Lee
Fleet Street were excellent. Saw me at short notice and provided a good diagnosis of my condition. Their prescriptions were on the money because my infected ear began to clear up soon afterwards.
Shaveta Gupta
Very professional, easy to book the appointment over the phone, all queries were answered straight away with assuring answers by the receptionist, competitive prices, nurse was very polite and informative too. Highly recommended.
FAQs
High altitude destinations include popular locations that fall on the Andes mountain range in South America, such as Machu Picchu or La Paz in Bolivia. Other popular destinations include Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan or Tanzania (Mt Kilimanjaro).
Ascending slowly is the key to preventing altitude sickness, that includes flying directly to areas of high altitude. Ideally, choosing a longer trek with a slower ascent over more days will reduce your risk considerably. The most important factor is the altitude where you spend the night – hence the climber’s mantra for avoiding altitude sickness: “climb high, sleep low”. Ensure you maintain good hydration and nutrition throughout your ascent.
Many people who are doing serious trekking may choose to take a pulse oximeter with them. This is a small portable device that allows the monitoring of oxygen levels in the bloodstream.
The best treatment for altitude sickness is descent. Medication such as acetazolamide can help reduce symptoms, but if you think you have altitude sickness it is important for you not to ascend further – stop and rest where you are. Don’t climb to a higher altitude, stay put in order to acclimatise for at least 24 hours. If symptoms worsen, you will need to descend and seek medical assistance.