What Is Altitude Sickness (acute Mountain Sickness)? What Causes Altitude Sickness?
Altitude sickness, also called acute mountain sickness (AMS), altitude illness, hypobaropathy, Acosta disease, puna, or soroche is a disorder caused by being at high altitude where air pressure is low without prior acclimatization (the process of gradual exposure). If it does occur, it will do so at altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,500 meters) – 8000 meters is a common height for many ski resorts. More severe symptoms generally occur at above 3,600 meters (about 12,000 feet). Acute mountain sickness can progress to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) or high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). People with altitude sickness typically have a bad headache, nausea, dizziness and feel exhausted. At sea level the atmospheric concentration of oxygen is approximated 21% and the barometric pressure averages 760 mmHg. At higher altitudes the 21% remains the same; however the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced. At about 5,500 meters (18,000ft) each breath contains approximately half the n
