Going to altitude? Bring your vitamins!

摘要

The author was treated for HAPE in the Capana Regina Margherita during studies in 1999. More than 100 years ago Italian physiologist Angelo Mosso described a soldier who upon arrival to the then just build Capana Regina Margherita research hut on the summit of Monte Rosa (4559 m) developed severe headache, then cyanosis, dyspnoea, tachycardia, riles and pink frothy sputum, but had no high fever (Mosso, 1898). Although puzzling at the time, this soldier would very likely be diagnosed with high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE) today. HAPE is an uncommon form of non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema which may occur if a person ascends to altitudes higher than 2500 m too fast. It usually occurs 1-2 days after arrival at high altitude, and the incidence rate is 0.1 to 15% depending on altitude, ascent rate, physical exhaustion, individual susceptibility to HAPE and likely coexisting cardiopulmonary disease (Bartsch et al. 2005).