The use of acetazolamide for the prevention of high-altitude illness.

Acetazolamide acute mountain sickness high-altitude illness incidence of altitude illness

Journal

Journal of travel medicine
ISSN: 1708-8305
Titre abrégé: J Travel Med
Pays: England
ID NLM: 9434456

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
26 Sep 2020
Historique:
received: 27 09 2019
revised: 05 12 2019
accepted: 19 12 2019
pubmed: 4 1 2020
medline: 29 7 2021
entrez: 4 1 2020
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

Modern travel means that many travellers can arrive abruptly to high-altitude destinations without doing any trekking or climbing. Airports in high-altitude cities mean that travellers can go from sea level to over 3350-3960 m (11 000-13 000 feet) in a matter of hours, putting themselves at risk for high-altitude illness (HAI). Acetazolamide has been shown to be an effective way to help prevent HAI on such itineraries. The risk of HAI on rapid arrival to altitudes over 3350 m (11 000 feet) has been shown to range from 35% to nearly 50%. The risk can be higher for high-altitude trekking. This risk is far higher than most travel medicine risks and is on a par with the risk of travellers' diarrhea in high risk destinations. The use of prophylactic acetazolamide in a dosage of 125 mg every 12 h is highly effective at diminishing the risk of HAI. Travel medicine practitioners should become comfortable with assessing the risk of HAI and determining when it is appropriate to offer acetazolamide prophylaxis to prevent HAI.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Modern travel means that many travellers can arrive abruptly to high-altitude destinations without doing any trekking or climbing. Airports in high-altitude cities mean that travellers can go from sea level to over 3350-3960 m (11 000-13 000 feet) in a matter of hours, putting themselves at risk for high-altitude illness (HAI).
METHODS METHODS
Acetazolamide has been shown to be an effective way to help prevent HAI on such itineraries. The risk of HAI on rapid arrival to altitudes over 3350 m (11 000 feet) has been shown to range from 35% to nearly 50%. The risk can be higher for high-altitude trekking. This risk is far higher than most travel medicine risks and is on a par with the risk of travellers' diarrhea in high risk destinations.
RESULT RESULTS
The use of prophylactic acetazolamide in a dosage of 125 mg every 12 h is highly effective at diminishing the risk of HAI.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Travel medicine practitioners should become comfortable with assessing the risk of HAI and determining when it is appropriate to offer acetazolamide prophylaxis to prevent HAI.

Identifiants

pubmed: 31897486
pii: 5693888
doi: 10.1093/jtm/taz106
pii:
doi:

Substances chimiques

Acetazolamide O3FX965V0I

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

© International Society of Travel Medicine 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Auteurs

David R Shlim (DR)

Jackson Hole Travel and Tropical Medicine, Jackson Hole, WY, USA.

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Classifications MeSH