Altitude sickness

●Urgent

⚠️ Check: Is the area safe for you to approach?

Stop going up. Rest and drink water. Go down if worse. Call help if confused or blue lips.

❌

DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT ascend further with symptoms — "tough it out" kills.

❌

DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT use sedatives or alcohol for sleep at altitude.

DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call mountain rescue or 112 if confusion, severe breathlessness, or cannot descend.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Say altitude sickness — current elevation and symptoms.

Confusion, ataxia, blue lips, or cough with frothy sputum is emergency — descend and call help.

DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — HACE and HAPE need oxygen, descent, and hospital care.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Portable oxygen and dexamethasone are for trained expedition medics only.

Know your limits: DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Recognize danger, stop ascent, descend if possible. Do not continue climb with symptoms.

This helper does not contact emergency services. You must call yourself.

When you are safe, you can read more about this emergency.

Before you help: If possible, ask the person for permission before helping. If they cannot respond and are in danger, help anyway.

This content is in Draft and has not been professionally reviewed. Use alongside calling emergency services.

Current step: Step 1 of 5

Altitude sickness — Do This Now | AidNow