Altitude Illness and Training in the Athlete

Altitude illness is the group of conditions caused by ascending faster than the body can acclimatise, ranging from acute mountain sickness (AMS) to the life-threatening high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) and high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE).

It matters to mountain and skiing athletes, expeditions and anyone training or competing at altitude. The same low-oxygen stimulus is also used deliberately, as altitude training, to improve endurance performance.

The SEM clinician prevents it through sensible ascent, recognises and treats it early, with descent as the definitive treatment for severe illness, and plans altitude training safely.