Tag: Mountaineering medical FAQ

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Today, we come to the end of our Altitude Sickness blogs. I hope by the end of this blog, you will know the ins and outs of the conditions that you can make the best-informed decisions if you ever need to while on your trip. HACE High Altitude Cerebral Edema or HACE for short, is a condition that occurs as a result of hypoxia in altitudes in excess of 2000 meters or 6560 feet. HACE can be potentially fatal as it causes the brain to swell and stop functioning a normal manner. As I’ve mentioned before, HACE can affect anyone, at any time and on any climb. There are, however, contributing factors which increase the incidence and severity of the illness, these include: Rate of ascent, The altitude attained, The amount of physical activity at high altitudes, and An individual’s susceptibility. Pathophysiology Cerebral oedema is consists of 4 subtypes: Vasogenic – occurs when there’s a breakdown in the endothelial junctions of the blood-brain barrier. Cytotoxic – occurs when there’s a disruption in cellular metabolism impairing the functioning of the sodium and potassium resulting in salt and water retention. Osmotic – occurs when an abnormal pressure gradient causes water to move into the brain. Interstitial – occurs in obstructve hydrocephalus from the rupturing of the CSF-brain barrier. HACE is a form of vasogenic oedma. The junctions between the endothelial cells breakdown, allowing intravascular proteins and fluids to enter the extracellular spaces of the brain. Once this happens, the spread is rather rapid and extensive. The fluid affects both the white and gray matters of the brain. The fluid is endless, filling all the open spaces of the brain. When the spaces are filled, the fluid doesn’t stop, it continues to flow, increasing the pressure within the brain and forcing the