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2022, Number 1

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Correo Científico Médico 2022; 26 (1)

Altitude sickness in collaborators of the Cuban medical brigade in Bolivia

Hernández CG, Cisnero ÁY, Osorio SM

Language: Spanish
References: 24
Page: 152-166
PDF size: 422.34 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Introduction: Altitude sickness (or mountain sickness) is the name given to a series of disorders caused by exposure to the low oxygen pressures that exist at high altitude.
Objective: To describe the symptomatic behavior and severe forms of presentation of altitude sickness in Cuban health collaborators at Bolivia.
Method: A case study was conducted on 314 collaborators who were exposed to heights greater than 2500 meters during the months of January 2014 to October 2015. A questionnaire was prepared and the medical records of the employees were reviewed.
Results: Out of the cases, 66.24% were women. The most affected age group was 41-50 years (48.53%). The most frequent personal pathologic antecedents were arterial hypertension (73.88%), heart disease (42.04%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (13.69%) and bronchial asthma (6.36%). The main danger signs were headache (95.22%), insomnia (89.49%), nausea (77.39%), dizziness (67.83%), malaise (56.37%) and bleeding (48.41%). Severe symptoms were severe headache (39.17%), dyspnea (31.85%), marked nausea (22.29%), edema (25.80%), in coordination (6.69%), psychological changes (6.69%) and visual disturbances (5.73%). The prodromes of severe forms were headache (95.54%), insomnia (89.49%), loss of appetite (84.08%) and lightheadedness (70.38%). The predominant severe forms were: hypertensive emergency (20.06%), cerebral edema (3.50%), deep vein thrombosis (1.59%), acute high-altitude pulmonary edema and respiratory distress.
Conclusions: Women older than 41 years of age were the most affected. Headache and insomnia were the severe and prodromal symptoms of altitude sickness; hypertensive emergency was the main severe form in the collaborators.


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