View clinical trials related to Altitude Sickness.
Filter by:Rescue services in mountainous regions are frequently called to missions at altitudes >3000 m. Under the difficult conditions of acute exposure to altitude, the crews then have to undertake demanding medical and rescue measures. Previous studies in non-medical personnel, such as astronauts, aircraft pilots, and military helicopter pilots have found that the lack of oxygen associated with acute exposure to altitude may impair cognitive functions. No data exists on the effect this may have on the performance of medical staff in terms of patient examination, communication, decision-making, planning, and overall patient care. This study aims to close this knowledge gap. The investigators of this study aim to make rescue missions to high altitude safer for both the patients and the rescuers. To assess the effect of high altitude on patient care, the investigators recruit highly trained medical specialists who will perform patient care in simulated scenarios both at high altitude and at low altitude. These scenarios will be recorded and the performance of the medical specialists judged by independent reviewers. The medical specialists will also perform in simulated scenarios at high altitude two more times: once with supplementary oxygen, and once after spending a night at high altitude. the investigators do this to evaluate whether supplementary oxygen improves their performance, and whether symptoms of acute mountain sickness (which usually develop after spending the first night at high altitude) decreases their performance further.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a common condition affecting individuals traveling to elevations greater than 2500 meters (8200 feet). While more gradual ascent profiles, as well as the use of acetazolamide, have been shown to decrease the incidence of AMS, it remains a common condition that can affect anyone who travels to altitude. Many pharmacologic options for treatment of AMS exist, however these are not always effective or able to be taken by all patients. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been shown in some small studies and reports to be a potential non-pharmacologic method of both preventing and treating AMS. No large trials to validate the efficacy of CPAP in altitude related illness have been done. This study aims to evaluate the degree to which CPAP can improve symptoms of AMS, as well as improve oxygen saturation among individuals traveling in a high altitude location.
Warfighter Performance Optimization in Extreme Environments remains an area of important and intense investigation, with the following goals: (1) Optimize, sustain and augment medical readiness and physiological/ psychological performance in extreme and hazardous military operational environments and (2) develop joint DoD countermeasures and guidance to sustain performance, assess physiological status, and reduce injury risk in extreme and hazardous operational environments. Successful and safe outcomes in extreme and hazardous operational environments require that warfighters maintain optimum cognitive and exercise performance during physiologic stress. Extreme environmental conditions encountered in such environments include warfighter exposure to hypoxia and hypothermia, alone or in combination. Both hypoxia and hypothermia undermine O2 delivery system homeostasis, imposing dangerous constraints upon warfighter cognitive and exercise capacity. While red blood cells (RBCs) are commonly recognized as O2 transport agents, their function as a key signaling and control node in O2 system delivery homeostasis is newly appreciated. Through O2 content-responsive modulation of RBC energetics, biomechanics, O2 affinity and control of vasoactive effectors in plasma - RBCs coordinate stabilizing responses of the lung, heart, vascular tree and autonomic nervous system - in a fashion that maintains O2 delivery system homeostasis in the setting of either reduced O2 availability (hypobaric hypoxia) or increased O2 demand (hypothermia). Human RBCs demonstrate adaptive responses to exercise, hypoxia and hypothermia - these changes are commonly appreciated as a key element enabling high altitude adaptation. However, under conditions of hypoxia and hypothermia, without prior adaptation, RBC performance is adversely impacted and limits the dynamic range of stress adaptation for O2 delivery homeostasis - therefore limiting warfighter exercise capacity and cognitive performance in extreme environments, such as during acute mountain sickness.
The POWERbreathe™ Plus: an Inspiratory Muscle Training device (IMT) with adjustable resistance. Intervention lasts 4 weeks, with a frequency of 6 days/week, 2 series of 30 inspirations in the morning and evening. Resistance based on 60% of the Pressure Maximal Inspiratory (PMI). Progressive increase in resistance every week. Four laboratory visits: 2 pre-tests and 2 post-tests. Each pre- / post- test will go under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Measurements include Pulmonary functions (spirometry test); blood microcirculation (vascular occlusion test); gas exchanges (e.g. VO2max), cardiac parameters, heart rate variability, maximal aerobic power (incremental and time limit test)
A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the comprehensive traditional Tibetan medicine program combined with remote ischemic conditioning on high altitude polycythemia.
• The purpose of this study is to investigate which physiological process that controls normal human body homeostasis is affected by low levels of acute hypoxic exposure and whether there is a difference in those physiological processes and simulated flight performance between a rapid and ramp hypoxic exposure. To accomplish this, pilot analogs will be exposed to normoxic, simulated 8,000 ft (2438 m), simulated 12,000 ft (3658 m), and a ramp exposure breathing at simulated 8,000 ft for 5 minutes before ascending to simulated 12,000 ft while flying in a flight simulator. During the flight simulator, participants will need to accomplish three tasks: 1) Maintaining an altitude of 5,000 ft of elevation while performing a mental math test, 2) Flying the aircraft through the center of a series of 7 targets, and 3) Taking off and flying the aircraft a short distance to land on the center of an indicated target. Physiological measures of heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), electrodermal activity (EDA), and neck neuromuscular activity using electromyography (EMG) will be measured for this study. Along with questionnaires to assess hypoxic symptoms, simulator sickness, and self-perceived workload for each task
This is a prospective, multicenter, cohort study aiming to explore the cardiotoxicity of targeted therapy for HER-2 positive breast cancer patients who lives in high altitude area. One hundred and thirty two HER-2 positive breast cancer patients who will receive neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or palliative targeted therapy will be enrolled. The cardiotoxicity of targeted therapy will be observed and recorded during the treatment and one year after the end of treatment. The subjects will be stratified by age, baseline cardiac risk factors, and anthracyclines.
High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is mostly treated with supplemental oxygen, nifedipine 30mg twice a day, rest, limiting cold exposure and descent (simulated or actual) Gamow Bag provides simulated descent and buy time for actual descent. CPAP is claimed to be effective in many case reports to treat HAPE temporarily until actual descent is taken place. This study aims to evaluate the role of CPAP in treating HAPE at those high altitude stations where Gamow bag is not available and immediate descent is not possible.
This trial is aimed to evaluate the effects of "Wu Zhu Yu Tang" on the prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness(AMS).
The proposed study is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating ibuprofen and placebo for the prevention of neurological forms of altitude illness [including high altitude headache (HAH), acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), and an emerging concept of High Altitude Anxiety]. The study will take place in the spring and summer of 2012 at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in the Eastern Sierras near Bridgeport, California. US Marines from near sea level will participate in battalion-level training exercises at between 8,500-11,500 Feet, where some altitude illness is expected. Concurrent measures used to determine objective markers of altitude illness, such that validated clinical scales, rapid cognitive screening tests, will inform us of symptoms of altitude illness.