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KMID : 1138720140400020001
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Korean Public Health Research
2014 Volume.40 No. 2 p.1 ~ p.11
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Incidence and Treatment Modality of High Altitude Illness on Tibet Outbound Tourists
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Lim Hyun-Sul
Yoo Seok-Ju
Lee Sae-Rom
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Abstract
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Objectives : High altitude illness (HAI) can developed in unacclimatized persons on ascent to high altitude and receiving attention with increase of outbound travellers. This study was conducted to systematic approach about the altitude illness by investigating the cases of HAI on Tibet tourists.
Methods : Self-administered questionnaire survey was carried out to twenty-five outbound tourists to Lhasa of Tibet. General characteristics, symptoms of HAI, duration of symptoms, past medical histories (disease, smoking, alcohol, and so on), experiences of climbing, and treatment used then were investigated. ‘The Lake Louise consensus on the definition of altitude illness’ was used to diagnosis the HAI.
Results : Eighty percent of the subjects developed HAI : 68.0% acute mountain sickness (AMS), 12.0% high altitude cerebral edema, 48.0% high altitude pulmonary edema. Incidence of AMS were increased with the frequency of climbing per month significantly, but other risk factors (obesity, smoking, alcohol, and so on) were not significant. Used treatment methods were Hong jing tian (60.0%), oxygen can (50.0%), and medications (40.0%) like acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, and digestives.
Conclusion : Our results confirmed the risk factors of HAI restrictively and demonstrated that tourists were lack of knowledges and preparation for the HAI. Travel medical assessment is very important to prevent the heath problems on the trip. The most urgent thing is to let people know that medical assessment and advance preparation are fundamental.
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KEYWORD
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Altitude illness, Acute mountain sickness, High altitude cerebral edema, High altitude pulmonary edema, Travel medicine
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