High is not always better
The further you go up from sea level, the lower the air pressure is. With lower air pressure, the body has less oxygen in the lungs causing the body to produce more red blood cells to carry the oxygen more efficiently. This cell building process can make a person sick. Also, dehydration can happen at higher elevations because water will evaporate faster. Altitude sickness is very dangerous for four reasons:
- its rapid progression
- its deadliness
- the fact sufferers are usually some distance from medical help
- physical activity in dangerous environments
How high is high?
About 20% of people will experience altitude sickness if they ascend 8000 feet about sea level and sleep there. Regions above 25,000 feet are known as the death zone. Being at such high altitudes, some of the major body systems can shut down. If your home is significantly above sea level, (as here in Cheyenne) you gain a definite leg up on ascending to higher elevations, but that doesn’t make you immune to altitude problems; it just pushes the threshold for their onset higher.
Effects of altitude
- Hyperventilation
- Altitude Diuresis (Urinating a lot and becoming dehydrated)
- Periodic Breathing
Ways to prevent
- Keep hydrated
- Acclimatize slowly
- Avoid rapid ascents
Written by carissarene
Leave a comment