Man dies of altitude sickness in Leh: All you need to know about the condition and how to protect yourself. (Image: iStock)
A 27-year-old Noida resident who went on a solo bike trip to Leh died due to lack of oxygen, media reports said. Chinmay Sharma was working as a digital marketing executive at a Noida-based company. Chinmay left for the trip on August 22. Four days later, he spoke to his father about a headache he was having. His father advised him to rest and seek medical attention.
Later that day, he told his father that he was having breathing problems. Worried about his son’s condition, the father asked the hotel manager in Leh to take his son to the hospital. On August 29, Chinmay Sharma died during treatment.
Chinmay succumbed to Altitude sicknessLeh is located at an altitude of 10,000 feet. To prevent altitude sickness, it is generally recommended to acclimatize for a minimum of three days. Here is everything you need to know about this disease.
What is altitude sickness??
Altitude sickness is the term used to describe medical conditions that can occur when you ascend too quickly to a higher altitude. It is important to know that the higher you go, the thinner the atmosphere becomes. It usually occurs when the body has trouble adjusting to the difference in the amount of oxygen you receive with each breath.
Types of Altitude Sickness There are many different types of altitude sickness.
- Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)This is the most common form of altitude sickness.
- High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)This occurs when altitude sickness has begun to affect the lungs, filling them with fluid. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention.
- High altitude cerebral edema (HACE)This is the most severe form of altitude sickness. It occurs when the illness causes swelling of the brain. It is a very dangerous condition that requires emergency care.
Symptoms
Symptoms of altitude sickness depend on its severity. Symptoms of altitude sickness usually appear within the first day and include headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise, fatigue, dizziness and loss of appetite. On the other hand, symptoms of severe forms such as HAPE and HACE usually appear 2 to 5 days later.
How to protect yourself from altitude sickness?
There is only one way to cure this disease, which is to descend to a lower altitude. However, there are certain measures that can be taken to stay protected while traveling to higher altitudes.
- Stop and acclimatize:Stopping and resting is a good idea when trying to deal with altitude sickness. This gives the body time to relax.
- Supplemental oxygen:Breathing higher concentrations of oxygen may help eliminate some of the symptoms.
- Hyperbaric therapyAt high altitudes, hyperbaric therapy with portable hyperbaric bags is possible. These can delay symptoms and allow the affected person to be evacuated to a lower altitude.
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