Outcomes from the 2015 Round Table on Sepsis

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Outcomes from the 2015 Round Table on Sepsis The official daily newsletter of the 35th ISICEM Thursday 19 March 2015 Day 3 Outcomes from the 2015 Round Table on sepsis uring the opening session on Tues- day morning, Simon Finfer (Royal North Shore Hospital of Sydney and Sydney Adventist Hospital, Sydney, Australia) was joined by Steven DOpal (Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, RI, USA) to summarize the major outcomes of the two-day Round Table discussion “This will be a on sepsis. This was a joint conference significant part of our conducted between ISICEM and the Inter- national Sepsis Forum, with representa- research agenda in the tives from every continent highlighting the future – making sure global nature of the problem. Beginning by addressing the current that our patients are state of knowledge in the epidemiology of doing well after they sepsis, Professor Finfer noted that we know leave the hospital.” surprising little, but that obtaining this data will be crucial if any meaningful strategy is Steven Opal to be developed: “To some degree we have data from developed countries, possibly far less than you would expect or think,” he said. “But there are certainly places in, notably, Africa, where we are completely devoid of data.” The reasons for this lack of data can in part be understood by an appreciation of how patient data are currently characterized and treated, with the Global Burden of Disease Project emerging as a central player in generating evidence and guiding is surprising because we believe that sepsis kills one comes into your ICU with community-acquired global health policy. more people than prostate cancer, breast cancer, pneumonia, you treat the pneumonia; maybe they “The only reference to sepsis in these sta- and many other high profile diseases. The reason are an elderly person with a lot of comorbidities; tistics is to neonatal sepsis,” noted Professor for that is that the Global Burden of Disease only they have sepsis, but the sepsis goes unresolved Finfer. “There is nothing else about sepsis, which counts the underlying cause of death. So if some- Continued on page 19 The protective role of Intensive “No shortcuts” Massive exercise in critical illness careers: Providing with process measures bleeding: support for our ICU staff lessons from the military . 2 . .5 . .10 . 14 2 ISICEM News Thursday 19 March 2015 Issue 3 Plenary lecture: Critical illness is top sport Arc Room Tuesday 17:30 The protective role of exercise for critical illness regular and consistent exercise regime prior to critical illness is a significant boon for Aoutcomes, offering a protective effect that means patients can expect to re- cover quicker, and have an improved quality of life. So was the message of Can Ince (Erasmus Medical Center, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, the Netherlands) who shared his perspec- tives, as a physiologist, on the role of exercise in critical illness during his plenary lecture on Tuesday. “I have been involved in critical care medicine as my main topic of interest for more than 30 years,” he told ISICEM News. “I have been interested in physiological function, the function of organs, and specifi- cally how the cardiovascular system functions in states of critical illness, and how to improve it – especially in terms of oxygen transport and the microcirculation.” During his lecture, Professor Ince relayed his experience from decades of work, paying particular attention ISICEM News Publishing and Production “When you are sick, what is MediFore Limited particularly debilitating is the Symposium Chairman to a project in the last 5-10 “What is very interesting Jean-Louis Vincent feeling of helplessness … it is years which has focused on from an academic view I think Editor-in-Chief extreme physiology. “How do important to get across the is how much emphasis there Peter Stevenson you react, when healthy, to ex- message that you might end is on drug-related interven- Editors treme conditions?” he said. “I tions to health and disease, Rysia Burmicz am talking about low oxygen, up in intensive care, but you and that exercise is a relative Becky McCall high altitude, strenuous exer- can already start working on side-show when it comes to Additional content cise, dehydration, extreme cold making sure you have a good the big journals of critical Aisling Koning etc. That has been an interest illness and perioperative Design of mine, because it is amazing chance of surviving.” medicine,” he said. Peter Williams what the human body can “If you look how you can Can Ince Industry Liaison Manager endure, but with critical illness, actually influence physiology Bethan Coulbeck the smallest glitch happens while exercising, one of the and then the alarms go off.” big problems in this area is Head Office 19 Jasper Road, Crystal Palace As part of this burgeoning work, department of surgery at the Eras- actually getting people to do it in the London SE19 1ST, UK Professor Ince has been involved in mus Medical Center, at which they first place, because for true benefit Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8761 2790 Xtreme Everest – a unique research are thinking of how to improve the you have to do it for a lengthy period [email protected] project at Mount Everest which outcomes of their patients by preop- of time, and it has to be done consist- www.medifore.co.uk has been exploring the response of erative exercise,” said Professor Ince. ently.” Copyright © 2015: Université Libre de the body to oxygen-thin air at high “There is this whole of idea of how Specifically, Professor Ince spoke Bruxelles. All rights reserved. No part of this altitudes.1 In fact, oxygen levels in is fitness related to outcomes, and of a ‘sweet-spot’ of around 200 publication may be reproduced, stored in a the infamous ‘Death Zone’ were so whether you can you do something minutes of exercise per week to see etrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, low they were barely able to sustain preoperatively to influence it.” substantial benefit, which in practice photocopying, recording or otherwise without human life, thus providing enlighten- The third piece of the puzzle that can be difficult for busy individuals prior permission in writing of ISICEM. The ing data as to the conditions faced by Professor Ince is concentrating on is to do. Furthermore, this must be content of ISICEM News does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ISICEM 2015 intensive care patients. how the body actually responds to ex- moderately intense exercise, not just Symposium Chairman, the ISICEM Scientific “The second area of interest ercise, exploring its beneficial effects a walk in the park: “This is cycling Advisors or Collaborators. concerns my involvement in the from a physiological perspective. Continued on page 4 4 ISICEM News Thursday 19 March 2015 Issue 3 Plenary lecture: Critical illness is top sport Arc Room Tuesday 17:30 The protective role of exercise for critical illness Continued from page 2 in abdominal surgery, for example. “So when I look at it from my point and proactively work for better out- or running where your heart beat This is one of our main interests. of view in physiology, I see a cluster comes. “When you are sick, what is is going high,” he said. “Or playing “From my physiological perspec- of lots of different little contributors, particularly debilitating is the feeling tennis, swimming etc. tive, I think you have to look at a like the ‘Butterfly Effect’ – i.e. they all of helplessness, and I think that from “200 minutes is quite a lot actual- bigger picture, as looking at gross can contribute to an adverse outcome, that point of view, it is important to ly, if you try and do it, but neverthe- get across the message that you less if you do that for a consistent might end up in intensive care, period of time, you do notice your “Now people are much more interested in quality of but you can already start working gait is better, your general feeling life: can you think, can you walk, can you do simple on making sure you have a good is better, and people who have chance of surviving,” said Professor previously not done it, but start to – things, are you enjoying the fact you are alive, and Ince. “Popping pills is not the way… and keep it up for a period of time have survived critical illness? And from this point of but exercise is something that you – will certainly notice a difference in view you need all of the help you can get.” can already start investing in.“ their general wellbeing.” Indeed, in the United States, Getting into the meat of the Can Ince there is already a public program data, and looking at how we encouraging exercise, called ‘Ex- can assess the positive influence ercise is Medicine’, which acts to of exercise for critically ill patients, clinical outcome parameters is the and that itself is also a fuzzy concept. boost awareness and take-up of a Professor Ince commented: “It is dif- way to go. If you have a serious Obviously being alive or dead is the good exercise regime. ficult because you have to objectively disease, and it can be anything from ultimate outcome parameter, but now For Professor Ince, his take-home measure parameters of fitness, which renal transplantation to cancer, etc., people are much more interested in message was clear: exercise is a pow- is a whole murky area of trying to there are a number of clusters of quality of life: can you think, can you erful way to improve the chance of find out if someone is fit or not.” pathogenic issues that will contrib- walk, can you do simple things, are superior outcomes in many diseases, He added: “But the British Medi- ute to the ultimate outcome of that you enjoying the fact you are alive, including critical illness.
Recommended publications
  • Human Physiology an Integrated Approach
    Gas Exchange and Transport Gas Exchange in the Lungs and Tissues 18 Lower Alveolar P Decreases Oxygen Uptake O2 Diff usion Problems Cause Hypoxia Gas Solubility Aff ects Diff usion Gas Transport in the Blood Hemoglobin Binds to Oxygen Oxygen Binding Obeys the Law of Mass Action Hemoglobin Transports Most Oxygen to the Tissues P Determines Oxygen-Hb Binding O2 Oxygen Binding Is Expressed As a Percentage Several Factors Aff ect Oxygen-Hb Binding Carbon Dioxide Is Transported in Three Ways Regulation of Ventilation Neurons in the Medulla Control Breathing Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen, and pH Infl uence Ventilation Protective Refl exes Guard the Lungs Higher Brain Centers Aff ect Patterns of Ventilation The successful ascent of Everest without supplementary oxygen is one of the great sagas of the 20th century. — John B. West, Climbing with O’s , NOVA Online (www.pbs.org) Background Basics Exchange epithelia pH and buff ers Law of mass action Cerebrospinal fl uid Simple diff usion Autonomic and somatic motor neurons Structure of the brain stem Red blood cells and Giant liposomes hemoglobin of pulmonary Blood-brain barrier surfactant (40X) From Chapter 18 of Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach, Sixth Edition. Dee Unglaub Silverthorn. Copyright © 2013 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 633 Gas Exchange and Transport he book Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer chronicles an ill- RUNNING PROBLEM fated trek to the top of Mt. Everest. To reach the summit of Mt. Everest, climbers must pass through the “death zone” T High Altitude located at about 8000 meters (over 26,000 ft ). Of the thousands of people who have attempted the summit, only about 2000 have been In 1981 a group of 20 physiologists, physicians, and successful, and more than 185 have died.
    [Show full text]
  • Everest and Oxygen—Ruminations by a Climber Anesthesiologist by David Larson, M.D
    Everest and Oxygen—Ruminations by a Climber Anesthesiologist By David Larson, M.D. Gaining Altitude and Losing Partial Pressure with Dave and Samantha Larson Dr. Dave Larson is an obstetric anesthesiologist who practices at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, and his daughter Samantha is a freshman at Stanford University. Together they have successfully ascended the Seven Summits, the tallest peaks on each of the seven continents, a feat of mountaineering postulated in the 1980s by Richard Bass, owner of the Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah. Bass accomplished it first in 1985. Samantha Larson, who scaled Everest in May 2007 (the youngest non-Sherpa to do so) and the Carstensz Pyramid in August 2007, is at age 18 the youngest ever to have achieved this feat. Because of varying definitions of continental borders based upon geography, geology, and geopolitics, there are nine potential summits, but the Seven Summits is based upon the American and Western European model. Reinhold Messner, an Italian mountaineer known for ascending without supplemental oxygen, postulated a list of Seven Summits that replaced a mountain on the Australian mainland (Mount Kosciuszko—2,228 m) with a higher peak in Oceania on New Guinea (the Carstensz Pyramid—4,884 m). The other variation in defining summits is whether you define Mount Blanc (4,808 m) as the highest European peak, or use Mount Elbrus (5,642 m) in the Caucasus. Other summits include Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya, Africa (5,895 m), Vinson Massif in Antarctica (4,892 m), Mount Everest in Asia (8,848 m), Mount McKinley in Alaska, North America (6,194 m), and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, South America (6,962 m).
    [Show full text]
  • DEATH ZONE FREERIDE About the Project
    DEATH ZONE FREERIDE About the project We are 3 of Snow Leopards, who commit the hardest anoxic high altitude ascents and perform freeride from the tops of the highest mountains on Earth (8000+). We do professional one of a kind filming on the utmost altitude. THE TRICKIEST MOUNTAINS ON EARTH NO BOTTLED OXYGEN CHALLENGES TO HUMAN AND NATURE NO EXTERIOR SUPPORT 8000ERS FREERIDE FROM THE TOPS MOVIES ALONE WITH NATURE FREERIDE DESCENTS 5 3 SNOW LEOS Why the project is so unique? PROFESSIONAL FILMING IN THE HARDEST CONDITIONS ❖ Higher than 8000+ m ❖ Under challenging efforts ❖ Without bottled oxygen & exterior support ❖ Severe weather conditions OUTDOOR PROJECT-OF-THE-YEAR “CRYSTAL PEAK 2017” AWARD “Death zone freeride” project got the “Crystal Peak 2017” award in “Outdoor project-of-the-year” nomination. It is comparable with “Oscar” award for Russian outdoor sphere. Team ANTON VITALY CARLALBERTO PUGOVKIN LAZO CIMENTI Snow Leopard. Snow Leopard. Leader The first Italian Snow Leopard. MC in mountaineering. Manaslu of “Mountain territory” club. Specializes in a ski mountaineering. freeride 8163m. High altitude Ski-mountaineer. Participant cameraman. of more than 20 high altitude expeditions. Mountains of the project Manaslu Annapurna Nanga–Parbat Everest K2 8163m 8091m 8125m 8848m 8611m The highest mountains on Earth ❖ 8027 m Shishapangma ❖ 8167 m Dhaulagiri I ❖ 8035 m Gasherbrum II (K4) ❖ 8201 m Cho Oyu ❖ 8051 m Broad Peak (K3) ❖ 8485 m Makalu ❖ 8080 m Gasherbrum I (Hidden Peak, K5) ❖ 8516 m Lhotse ❖ 8091 m Annapurna ❖ 8586 m Kangchenjunga ❖ 8126 m Nanga–Parbat ❖ 8614 m Chogo Ri (K2) ❖ 8156 m Manaslu ❖ 8848 m Chomolungma (Everest) Mountains that we climbed on MANASLU September 2017 The first and unique freeride descent from the altitude 8000+ meters among Russian sportsmen.
    [Show full text]
  • Deadly High Altitude Pulmonary Disorders: Acute Mountain Sickness
    Research Article Int J Pul & Res Sci Volume 1 Issue 1 - April 2016 Copyright © All rights are reserved by Michael Obrowski DOI : 10.19080/IJOPRS.2016.01.555553 Deadly High Altitude Pulmonary Disorders: Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS); High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE): A Clinical Review Michael Obrowski1* and Stephanie Obrowski2 1Doctor of Medicine (M.D. – 2000); Assistant Professor of Anatomy; CEO, Chief Physician and Surgeon of Wilderness Physicians, European Union 2Doctor of Medicine (M.D. – 2019); Medical University of Łódź; President of Wilderness Physicians, European Union Submission: January 26, 2016; Published: April 15, 2016 *Corresponding author: Michael Obrowski, M.D., Doctor of Medicine (M.D. – 2000); Assistant Professor of Anatomy; CEO, Chief Physician and Surgeon of Wilderness Physicians, European Union, 43C Żeligowskiego Street, #45, Łódź, Poland 90-644, Email: Abstract Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS); High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). These three disorders, withMountain relatively Sickness, unimportant also smallcalled variationsHigh Altitude seen Sickness, in some isPulmonology specifically aTextbooks, triad of different because disorders, these are inso orderserious, of increasingthey are all seriousness: potentially deadly pulmonary disorders and we will discuss these three major, deadly disorders. Each one, starting with AMS, can progress rapidly to HAPE and then HACE. The two authors of this article have over half a century of high altitude mountaineering experience. They have also alsohad anddisaster still domedicine. have, for Since the lastspring twenty is rapidly years, approaching an NGO, Non-Profit and many Medical “weekend Organization backpackers” (Wilderness will start Physicians going into www.wildernessphysicians.
    [Show full text]
  • Mount Everest's Death Zone
    Mount Everest’s Death Zone Climate change and crowds of climbers are making the world’s tallest mountain more dangerous than ever Mara Grunbaum ast year, 73-year-old Tamae Watanabe of Japan became the oldest woman to climb Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain. In L 2010, 13-year-old Jordan Romero of California became the youngest to reach the top. All sorts of people of varying abilities scale the massive mountain in Asia these days. That may not be a good thing—for Everest or the climbers. Last year, more than 500 people reached the top of the Himalayan mountain, which towers 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) above sea level. Hundreds more climbed partway up. While it’s a great achievement to scale Everest, it can sometimes cause problems for the climbers and the mountain itself. Everest is changing. Warming Up Why is Everest becoming more dangerous to climb? One reason is changes in its environment. Much of the mountain is covered in huge sheets of ice called glaciers. Lately, warmer temperatures in the region have been melting these glaciers. Some places that used to be covered in ice year-round are now completely ice-free in the summer. Shrinking glaciers put climbers at risk. As glaciers melt, snow, ice, and rock are more likely to tumble down the mountain in huge avalanches. These snowslides can injure or even kill climbers. “As it gets warmer, more debris tends to fall down,” says American climbing guide Freddie Wilkinson. He’s one of a number of people who think that climbing Everest is becoming too risky.
    [Show full text]
  • Into the Clouds
    Into the Clouds ALSO BY TOD OLSON THE LOST® SERIES: Lost in the Pacific, 1942 Lost in Outer Space Lost in the Amazon Lost in the Antarctic Into the Clouds The Race to Climb the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain TOD OLSON New York Copyright © 2020 by Tod Olson All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Focus, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, SCHOLASTIC FOCUS, and associated logos are trademarks and/ or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third- party websites or their content. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Olson, Tod, author. Title: Into the clouds : the race to climb the world’s most dangerous mountain / Tod Olson. Description: New York, NY : Scholastic Focus, 2020. | Audience: Age 10-14. Identifiers: LCCN 2019002127 (print) | LCCN 2019014682 (ebook) | ISBN 9781338207378 (E-book) | ISBN 9781338207361 (hardcover : alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: K2 (Pakistan : Mountain)—Juvenile literature. | Mountaineering—Pakistan—K2 (Mountain)—Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC GB546.K13 (ebook) | LCC GB546.K13 O55 2020 (print) | DDC
    [Show full text]
  • Human Factors in High-Altitude Mountaineering
    Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments Volume 12 Issue 1 Article 1 Published online: 5-8-2015 Human Factors in High-Altitude Mountaineering Christopher D. Wickens Alion Science and Technology, [email protected] John W. Keller Alion Science and Technology, [email protected] Christopher Shaw Alion Science and Technology, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jhpee Part of the Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Wickens, Christopher D.; Keller, John W.; and Shaw, Christopher (2015) "Human Factors in High-Altitude Mountaineering," Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments: Vol. 12 : Iss. 1 , Article 1. DOI: 10.7771/2327-2937.1065 Available at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jhpee/vol12/iss1/1 This document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact [email protected] for additional information. This is an Open Access journal. This means that it uses a funding model that does not charge readers or their institutions for access. Readers may freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles. This journal is covered under the CC BY-NC-ND license. Human Factors in High-Altitude Mountaineering Christopher D. Wickens, John W. Keller, and Christopher Shaw Alion Science and Technology Abstract We describe the human performance and cognitive challenges of high altitude mountaineering. The physical (environmental) and internal (health) stresses are first described, followed by the motivational factors that lead people to climb. The statistics of mountaineering accidents in the Himalayas and Alaska are then described.
    [Show full text]
  • Safe Sojourns to High Altitudes: the Risks of Annual Religious Pilgrimages in Jammu and Kashmir, India- Clinical Diagnostics and Treatment
    Research Article JOJ Pub Health Volume 2 Issue 1 - May 2017 Copyright © All rights are reserved by SM Kadri Safe Sojourns to High Altitudes: The Risks of Annual Religious Pilgrimages in Jammu and Kashmir, India- Clinical Diagnostics and Treatment SM Kadri1*, Saleem-ur-Rehman2, Michael W Popejoy3 and Christoph S Eberle4 1Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, India 2Department of Health Services, Fellow WHO Director, India 3Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Florida International University, USA 4National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry, Associate Fellow, USA Submission: May 04, 2017; Published: May 26, 2017 *Corresponding author: SM Kadri, Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, RFPTC Building, Barzulla, Srinagar 190005, Kashmir, India, Email: Abstract increasing prevalence for this type of illness. In The behavioral characteristics of high altitude climbers and the precautions necessary to This article addresses the clinical diagnosis and clinical treatment plan for several diseases that afflict high altitude climbers and the described; then, the common treatment regimens for climbermal adaptation for high altitude sickness are covered. The conclusion explored inprevent the discussion death from is thatthe high no one altitude need sportdie from activities high altitude are introduced; sickness iffirst; proper then. planning The clinical and manifestationsgood judgment ofare different applied diseaseto climbing complexes protocols; are and, that these rules are
    [Show full text]
  • A Fundamental Concept in COVID-19 Lung Disease
    1 Pneumolysis: a fundamental concept in COVID-19 lung disease Gustavo R. Zubieta-Calleja1, Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste1, Felipe de Jesús Montelongo2, Manuel Gabriel Romo Sanchez2 & Murray Epstein3 1. High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (IPPA), La Paz, Bolivia. 2. Hospital General de Ecatepec “Las Américas”, ISEM, México 3. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, USA Keywords: HAPE, SARS-CoV-2, ACE-2, EPO, Lung sequelae, Kawasaki disease COVID-19 tongue Running title: Pneumolysis in COVID-19 lung disease Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Gustavo R. Zubieta-Calleja Director High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (HAPPI-IPPA) www.Altitudeclinic.com Av. Copacabana - Prolongación # 55, Teleféricos Celeste y Blanco, Estación Av. Del Poeta, La Paz, Bolivia. E-mail: [email protected]; Cel: 591-73258026. Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja ORCID: 0000-0002-4283-6514 Dr. Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste ORCID: 0000-0003-2675-5025 Declaration of interest: None. Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not- for-profit sectors. 2 ABSTRACT Background COVID-19 severe lung compromise often evolves to life-threatening hypoxia. The experience led to the implementation of standardized protocols assuming similarity to SARS-CoV. Impulsive use of ventilators ended in up to 88% fatality. Methods COVID-19 pathophysiology and histopathological lung biopsy photomicrographs are analyzed. Results Pneumolysis is defined as progressive alveolar-capillary destruction resulting from the CoV-2 attack on pneumocytes. The histopathological results show the presence of Masson bodies, alveolar coating cells with nuclear atypia, reactive pneumocytes, reparative fibrosis, intra- alveolar hemorrhage, moderate inflammatory infiltrates, microabscesses, microthrombus, hyaline membrane remnants, and emphysema.
    [Show full text]
  • Clinical Review
    BMJ 2011;343:d4943 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d4943 Page 1 of 10 Clinical Review CLINICAL REVIEW Acute altitude illnesses Chris Imray professor of vascular and endovascular surgery 1, Adam Booth general practioner 2, Alex Wright consultant physician 3, Arthur Bradwell professor of immunology 4 1Warwick Medical School, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK; 2Jiggins Lane Medical Centre, Birmingham, UK; 3Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham; 4Immunodiagostic Research Laboratory, Medical School, University of Birmingham Acute altitude illnesses are potentially serious conditions that exceptions, most altitude related illnesses occur when there has can affect otherwise fit individuals who ascend too rapidly to been insufficient time to acclimatise at altitudes over 3000 m. altitude. They include high altitude headache, acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral oedema, and high altitude What are the altitude related illnesses? pulmonary oedema. The number of people travelling to altitude for work (soldiers, miners, construction workers, and The common altitude specific illnesses are high altitude astronomers) or for recreation (skiing, trekking, mountain biking, headache and acute mountain sickness. Much rarer, but more and climbing) is rising, and increased media attention towards serious, are high altitude cerebral oedema and high altitude these activities has also raised the profile of altitude related pulmonary oedema. illness. Typical scenarios in which such illness might occur are a family trek to Everest base camp in Nepal (5360 m), a fund High altitude headache raising climb of Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m), or a tourist visit High altitude headache is defined by the International Headache to Machu Picchu (2430 m).
    [Show full text]
  • Breathing at Extreme Altitudes. Scientific Projects “EVEREST” (First Part)
    Review Breathing at extreme altitudes. Scientific projects “EVEREST” (First part) Breathing at extreme altitudes. Scientific projects “EVEREST” (First part) Eduardo Garrido1,2, Oriol Sibila3, Ginés Viscor2,4 1Servicio de Hipobaria y Fisiología Biomédica. Universidad de Barcelona. 2Instituto de Estudios de Medicina de Montaña. Barcelona. 3Servicio de Neumología. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. 4Departamento de Biología Celular, Fisiología e Inmunología. Universidad de Barcelona. Received: 03.03.2017 Summary Accepted: 31.05.2017 Climbing to the highest height on Earth, the Mt. Everest (8.848 m), without supplementary oxygen equipment involves a physiological demand that is close to the maximum human tolerance. Exposures at extreme altitudes drastically conditions lung function, stores of oxygen and physical performance. This review brings interesting aspects about respiration, blood gases and aerobic exercise reported by those scientific projects that have carried out physiological measurements between 8,000 m and 8,848 m above sea level, under real or simulated altitude: the Operations “Everest I” (1946), “Everest II” (1985), “Everest III-COMEX” (1997), and the Expeditions “AMREE” (1981), “British 40th Anniversary Everest” (1993), and “Caudwell Xtrem Everest” (2007). These fascinating scientific research events, along with other outstanding biomedical expeditions perfor- med above 5,500 m, like especially the “Silver Hut” (1960-61), “Italiana all’Everest” (1973), and “British Everest Medical” (1994), including those pioneer scientific reports made on the XIX century until the most recent research projects performed, have laid the foundations and knowledge on the human tolerance to such extreme levels of hypobaric hypoxia, where the lung, breathing and respiratory chain takes on a major role requiring fine physiological adjustments to ensure cellular oxygenation.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Physics Special Topics an Undergraduate Physics Journal
    Journal of Physics Special Topics An undergraduate physics journal P2 5 Jack and the Decompression Sickness K. Hinchcliffe, K. Golsby, H. Biddle, J. Mooney Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH November 6, 2019 Abstract In this paper, we calculate the volume of supplemental oxygen that Jack would need to climb and descend the entire height of the beanstalk in the classic fairy-tale, Jack and the Beanstalk. We also find the pressure of the air at the beanstalk peak and compare this to the pressure at sea-level. These values were found to be 1880 litres and 0:365 Pa respectively. Introduction continue the 92000 m journey up. In the classic fairy-tale Jack and the We then find the time it would take Jack to Beanstalk, Jack climbs the Giant's beanstalk to climb the height of the beanstalk. By using the a land `high in the sky'. The beanstalk reached speed climbing record of 5:48 s to climb 15 m [3], to heaven in the fable, and therefore assuming we find that it would take 10:1 hours to climb the an altitude of the Karman Line, the volume of entire height of the beanstalk, and 9:33 hours to oxygen needed to climb both up and down the climb the 92000 m with supplemented oxygen. beanstalk can be found. The pressure at the As the average person breathes roughly 8 litres peak of the beanstalk can also be found and of air per minute [4], and oxygen is roughly 21% health effects at this pressure can be discussed.
    [Show full text]