What is high-altitude or mountain sickness?
Sometimes people get sick at high altitudes, such as in the mountains. This is called mountain sickness or high-altitude sickness. What causes this problem? Lack of oxygen causes high-altitude sickness. As altitude increases, the air becomes “thinner,” which means less oxygen is in the atmosphere. You get less oxygen in your lungs with each breath, so the amount of oxygen in your blood declines. (This is called hypoxia) (hi-POKS’e-ah). All people can experience mountain sickness, but it may be more severe in people who have heart or lung problems. What are the symptoms? Symptoms usually begin within 48 hours of arriving at high altitude. The higher the altitude, the greater the effects. People can notice effects when they go to an altitude of 7,000 to 8,000 feet. If you have heart disease (such as heart failure) or lung disease (such as emphysema), you may have symptoms at lower altitudes. Symptoms include • headaches, breathlessness, fatigue • nausea or vomiting • inability to sleep •
