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Acute mountain sickness

MedGen UID:
536790
•Concept ID:
C0238284
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Acosta's disease; acosta's disease; acute mountain sickness; altitude anoxia; altitude sickness; high altitude cerebral edema; high altitude cerebral oedema; high altitude pulmonary edema; high altitude pulmonary oedema; Mountain sickness; Soroche; soroche
SNOMED CT: Acute mountain sickness (78590007); Soroche (78590007); Acosta's disease (78590007)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0021811

Definition

Acute mountain sickness is characterized by altitude sickness that affects otherwise healthy persons, develops within hours after arriving at altitude, and results in functional impairment from symptoms that may include headache, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. [from MONDO]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Altitude Illness: 2019 Update.
Luks AM, Auerbach PS, Freer L, Grissom CK, Keyes LE, McIntosh SE, Rodway GW, Schoene RB, Zafren K, Hackett PH
Wilderness Environ Med 2019 Dec;30(4S):S3-S18. Epub 2019 Jun 24 doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2019.04.006. PMID: 31248818
Acute mountain sickness: pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment.
Imray C, Wright A, Subudhi A, Roach R
Prog Cardiovasc Dis 2010 May-Jun;52(6):467-84. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2010.02.003. PMID: 20417340
Mechanisms of action of acetazolamide in the prophylaxis and treatment of acute mountain sickness.
Leaf DE, Goldfarb DS
J Appl Physiol (1985) 2007 Apr;102(4):1313-22. Epub 2006 Oct 5 doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01572.2005. PMID: 17023566

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Mountain neurology.
Dekker MCJ, Wilson MH, Howlett WP
Pract Neurol 2019 Oct;19(5):404-411. Epub 2019 Jun 8 doi: 10.1136/practneurol-2017-001783. PMID: 31177100
The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score.
Roach RC, Hackett PH, Oelz O, Bärtsch P, Luks AM, MacInnis MJ, Baillie JK; Lake Louise AMS Score Consensus Committee
High Alt Med Biol 2018 Mar;19(1):4-6. Epub 2018 Mar 13 doi: 10.1089/ham.2017.0164. PMID: 29583031Free PMC Article
High altitude illness.
Hartman-Ksycińska A, Kluz-Zawadzka J, Lewandowski B
Przegl Epidemiol 2016;70(3):490-499. PMID: 27888818
High-Altitude Medicine.
Johnson NJ, Luks AM
Med Clin North Am 2016 Mar;100(2):357-69. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2015.09.002. PMID: 26900119
Athletes at High Altitude.
Khodaee M, Grothe HL, Seyfert JH, VanBaak K
Sports Health 2016 Mar-Apr;8(2):126-32. doi: 10.1177/1941738116630948. PMID: 26863894Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

High-altitude mountain telemedicine.
Martinelli M, Moroni D, Bastiani L, Mrakic-Sposta S, Giardini G, Pratali L
J Telemed Telecare 2022 Feb;28(2):135-145. Epub 2020 Jun 15 doi: 10.1177/1357633X20921020. PMID: 32539486Free PMC Article
The role of iron repletion in adult iron deficiency anemia and other diseases.
Elstrott B, Khan L, Olson S, Raghunathan V, DeLoughery T, Shatzel JJ
Eur J Haematol 2020 Mar;104(3):153-161. Epub 2019 Dec 26 doi: 10.1111/ejh.13345. PMID: 31715055Free PMC Article
The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score.
Roach RC, Hackett PH, Oelz O, Bärtsch P, Luks AM, MacInnis MJ, Baillie JK; Lake Louise AMS Score Consensus Committee
High Alt Med Biol 2018 Mar;19(1):4-6. Epub 2018 Mar 13 doi: 10.1089/ham.2017.0164. PMID: 29583031Free PMC Article
Acute high-altitude sickness.
Luks AM, Swenson ER, Bärtsch P
Eur Respir Rev 2017 Jan;26(143) Epub 2017 Jan 31 doi: 10.1183/16000617.0096-2016. PMID: 28143879Free PMC Article
High-altitude headache.
Marmura MJ, Hernandez PB
Curr Pain Headache Rep 2015 May;19(5):483. doi: 10.1007/s11916-015-0483-2. PMID: 25795155

Therapy

The role of iron repletion in adult iron deficiency anemia and other diseases.
Elstrott B, Khan L, Olson S, Raghunathan V, DeLoughery T, Shatzel JJ
Eur J Haematol 2020 Mar;104(3):153-161. Epub 2019 Dec 26 doi: 10.1111/ejh.13345. PMID: 31715055Free PMC Article
Research advances in pathogenesis and prophylactic measures of acute high altitude illness.
Li Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y
Respir Med 2018 Dec;145:145-152. Epub 2018 Nov 8 doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2018.11.004. PMID: 30509704
Athletes at High Altitude.
Khodaee M, Grothe HL, Seyfert JH, VanBaak K
Sports Health 2016 Mar-Apr;8(2):126-32. doi: 10.1177/1941738116630948. PMID: 26863894Free PMC Article
Acute mountain sickness: pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment.
Imray C, Wright A, Subudhi A, Roach R
Prog Cardiovasc Dis 2010 May-Jun;52(6):467-84. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2010.02.003. PMID: 20417340
Mechanisms of action of acetazolamide in the prophylaxis and treatment of acute mountain sickness.
Leaf DE, Goldfarb DS
J Appl Physiol (1985) 2007 Apr;102(4):1313-22. Epub 2006 Oct 5 doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01572.2005. PMID: 17023566

Prognosis

Altitude, Acute Mountain Sickness, and Acetazolamide: Recommendations for Rapid Ascent.
Toussaint CM, Kenefick RW, Petrassi FA, Muza SR, Charkoudian N
High Alt Med Biol 2021 Mar;22(1):5-13. Epub 2020 Sep 23 doi: 10.1089/ham.2019.0123. PMID: 32975448
Association between acute mountain sickness (AMS) and age: a meta-analysis.
Wu Y, Zhang C, Chen Y, Luo YJ
Mil Med Res 2018 May 11;5(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s40779-018-0161-x. PMID: 29747689Free PMC Article
Acute high-altitude sickness.
Luks AM, Swenson ER, Bärtsch P
Eur Respir Rev 2017 Jan;26(143) Epub 2017 Jan 31 doi: 10.1183/16000617.0096-2016. PMID: 28143879Free PMC Article
Predicting acute mountain sickness.
West JB
High Alt Med Biol 2014 Dec;15(4):427. doi: 10.1089/ham.2014.1541. PMID: 25531455
Hypoxia-related altitude illnesses.
Netzer N, Strohl K, Faulhaber M, Gatterer H, Burtscher M
J Travel Med 2013 Jul-Aug;20(4):247-55. Epub 2013 Mar 11 doi: 10.1111/jtm.12017. PMID: 23809076

Clinical prediction guides

Prevalence and knowledge about acute mountain sickness in the Western Alps.
Berger MM, Hüsing A, Niessen N, Schiefer LM, Schneider M, Bärtsch P, Jöckel KH
PLoS One 2023;18(9):e0291060. Epub 2023 Sep 14 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291060. PMID: 37708123Free PMC Article
High-altitude mountain telemedicine.
Martinelli M, Moroni D, Bastiani L, Mrakic-Sposta S, Giardini G, Pratali L
J Telemed Telecare 2022 Feb;28(2):135-145. Epub 2020 Jun 15 doi: 10.1177/1357633X20921020. PMID: 32539486Free PMC Article
The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score.
Roach RC, Hackett PH, Oelz O, Bärtsch P, Luks AM, MacInnis MJ, Baillie JK; Lake Louise AMS Score Consensus Committee
High Alt Med Biol 2018 Mar;19(1):4-6. Epub 2018 Mar 13 doi: 10.1089/ham.2017.0164. PMID: 29583031Free PMC Article
Altitude sickness.
Murdoch D
BMJ Clin Evid 2010 Mar 18;2010 PMID: 21718562Free PMC Article
High-altitude headache.
Serrano-Dueñas M
Expert Rev Neurother 2007 Mar;7(3):245-8. doi: 10.1586/14737175.7.3.245. PMID: 17341172

Recent systematic reviews

Does age have an impact on acute mountain sickness? A systematic review.
Gianfredi V, Albano L, Basnyat B, Ferrara P
J Travel Med 2020 Sep 26;27(6) doi: 10.1093/jtm/taz104. PMID: 31897482
Does This Patient Have Acute Mountain Sickness?: The Rational Clinical Examination Systematic Review.
Meier D, Collet TH, Locatelli I, Cornuz J, Kayser B, Simel DL, Sartori C
JAMA 2017 Nov 14;318(18):1810-1819. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.16192. PMID: 29136449
Impact of Study Design on Reported Incidences of Acute Mountain Sickness: A Systematic Review.
Waeber B, Kayser B, Dumont L, Lysakowski C, Tramèr MR, Elia N
High Alt Med Biol 2015 Sep;16(3):204-15. Epub 2015 Jul 31 doi: 10.1089/ham.2015.0022. PMID: 26230550
Pharmacologic prophylaxis for acute mountain sickness: a systematic shortcut review.
Seupaul RA, Welch JL, Malka ST, Emmett TW
Ann Emerg Med 2012 Apr;59(4):307-317.e1. Epub 2011 Dec 7 doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2011.10.015. PMID: 22153998
Altitude sickness.
Murdoch D
BMJ Clin Evid 2010 Mar 18;2010 PMID: 21718562Free PMC Article

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