This is such an excellent and thorough resource. We are heading to the Puna de Atacama in a few days and I have printed off a copy to take with us.
It was possible to get everything on your medical kit drugs list over the counter with no prescriptions here in Argentina.
Welcome Monkeypike, glad you found it a help. Good luck on your trip - I'm really looking forward to setting off for Aconcagua in just over 3 weeks, so will be having to try and follow my own advise!
In 1978, I suffered from mild HACE at around 6000 m but no one knew what it was, we had no doctor with us. However we knew that descent was the solution, so everything ended well. I will make sure that friends of mine going on expeditions will see your article. Michael Ward would have proud of you. Best regards
Thanks a lot Eric - Yes, a lot of what I know must have originated from Michael Ward, Griff Pugh & Co in that Silver Hut - so I guess he'd be pleased to see folk following their principles 50 plus years later! I was sorry not to have met any of that generation. Closest I got was a brief word on the phone to Dr Charlie Clark many years ago - and who I also saw giving a talk with Chris Bonnington a similar number of years ago.
Glad you find the article useful and all the better if you find it worthy of sharing with your friends.
Best wishes, Mark
Re: Ibuprofen Prevents Altitude Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial for Prevention of Altitude Illness With Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatories
Thanks again for this Diego - as I said, I'll be checking over the UIAA site again in due course and will be updating this article in the next few months, when I am not overloaded with work things.
best wishes, Mark
Cheers Brad - I enjoyed revising it and really appreciate the positive feedback. If it helps the odd person not get ill - or know what to do if they do, then that'd be the icing on the cake. Hey - looks as if you had a similar experience to me on Broad Peak this year? Too much snow and avalanche conditions and turning back from Camp 3 - it was same for me 25 years ago in 1987. You will have recognised quite a few of the photos I attached to this article.
Happy Christmas and safe climbs for 2013
Mark
So much useful information and written in a way that makes it easy and interesting to read. It's great to have a better idea of what oxygen sats should be at different elevations. Mine went down to 79 at 4700m earlier this year and I was concerned but not enough to descend.
Thanks Yvette
Yes - goes to show that it is important to take the reading in the context of the bigger picture: i.e if you have a reading of 79% at 4700m and you are unwell then you should go down; if you have just arrived at 4700m then it maybe to be expected and should improve; it helps to have other readings available; you have to have warm fingers to give a reliable reading - etc.
Have a great Christmas and safe climbing in 2013
Mark
It is so complete now that it should have a French version. I will see with some of my GHM friends if they would publish it on their website. But I suppose I need to find a French medic to translate properly all the medical terms! I wonder if Jean-Pierre Herry the Chamonix ENSA high altitude medic would be interested? I will see.
Best
Hello again Eric - I have put quite a lot into this article now and I am grateful for such positive feedback - and it is all the more worth the effort if you succeed in widening the distribution into France!
It is a must read... And the section on frostbite. Had a similar experience when I was younger and have similar funky toenails. Never made a possible correlation...
Thanks a lot - really appreciate your kind words. Hope you keep your toes warm now... after a close call in 1983 I resorted to chemical heat pads on Aconcagua in 2011 - they didn't stop me getting frostnip in one big toe, but could well have prevented the sort of damage shown in the article.
best wishes
Mark
I missed this article somehow; truly useful and informative; Thank You very much! also excellent seeing the 'proving grounds' for the information in the background - sweet set of adventures!
Thanks very much for the feedback - and from a quick peek at your photos you certainly get around yourself and will have needed to have paid attention to accimatisation a few times!
You should look out for SP writer 'rgg' - he has written quite a lot on bits of the Andes you have visited... I think he also climbed Chopicalqui (have I spelt it OK?!)
best wishes
Mark
Adeel - Nov 14, 2010 5:42 am - Voted 10/10
Very informativeand very helpful article.
markhallam - Nov 15, 2010 2:20 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Very informativeThanks a lot advlov
monkeypike - Jan 4, 2011 4:00 pm - Hasn't voted
Thanks so much!This is such an excellent and thorough resource. We are heading to the Puna de Atacama in a few days and I have printed off a copy to take with us.
It was possible to get everything on your medical kit drugs list over the counter with no prescriptions here in Argentina.
markhallam - Jan 5, 2011 12:58 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Thanks so much!Welcome Monkeypike, glad you found it a help. Good luck on your trip - I'm really looking forward to setting off for Aconcagua in just over 3 weeks, so will be having to try and follow my own advise!
Valerie - Oct 24, 2011 12:34 pm - Hasn't voted
Great!Brilliant article Mark, I'm heading to Kilimanjaro tomorrow in my first trip as official medic and it's a great refresher.
markhallam - Oct 24, 2011 1:43 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great!Thanks Valerie - best of luck! Let me know how you get on! Cheers, Mark
ericvola - Mar 4, 2012 1:29 pm - Voted 10/10
How usefulIn 1978, I suffered from mild HACE at around 6000 m but no one knew what it was, we had no doctor with us. However we knew that descent was the solution, so everything ended well. I will make sure that friends of mine going on expeditions will see your article. Michael Ward would have proud of you. Best regards
markhallam - Mar 5, 2012 1:48 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: How usefulThanks a lot Eric - Yes, a lot of what I know must have originated from Michael Ward, Griff Pugh & Co in that Silver Hut - so I guess he'd be pleased to see folk following their principles 50 plus years later! I was sorry not to have met any of that generation. Closest I got was a brief word on the phone to Dr Charlie Clark many years ago - and who I also saw giving a talk with Chris Bonnington a similar number of years ago.
Glad you find the article useful and all the better if you find it worthy of sharing with your friends.
Best wishes, Mark
Diego Sahagún - May 7, 2012 6:26 am - Voted 9/10
Ibuprofen Prevents Altitude Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial for Prevention of Altitude Illness With Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatorieshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019606441200090X
markhallam - May 9, 2012 12:40 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Ibuprofen Prevents Altitude Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial for Prevention of Altitude Illness With Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatoriesThanks again for this Diego - as I said, I'll be checking over the UIAA site again in due course and will be updating this article in the next few months, when I am not overloaded with work things.
best wishes, Mark
radson - Dec 23, 2012 12:18 am - Voted 10/10
Such a great effortThis is such a wonderful compilation of pertinent information expressed in a clear and concise manner. Thank you so very much.
markhallam - Dec 23, 2012 3:21 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Such a great effortCheers Brad - I enjoyed revising it and really appreciate the positive feedback. If it helps the odd person not get ill - or know what to do if they do, then that'd be the icing on the cake. Hey - looks as if you had a similar experience to me on Broad Peak this year? Too much snow and avalanche conditions and turning back from Camp 3 - it was same for me 25 years ago in 1987. You will have recognised quite a few of the photos I attached to this article.
Happy Christmas and safe climbs for 2013
Mark
ywardhorner - Dec 23, 2012 6:16 pm - Voted 10/10
Excellent ArticleSo much useful information and written in a way that makes it easy and interesting to read. It's great to have a better idea of what oxygen sats should be at different elevations. Mine went down to 79 at 4700m earlier this year and I was concerned but not enough to descend.
markhallam - Dec 24, 2012 12:23 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Excellent ArticleThanks Yvette
Yes - goes to show that it is important to take the reading in the context of the bigger picture: i.e if you have a reading of 79% at 4700m and you are unwell then you should go down; if you have just arrived at 4700m then it maybe to be expected and should improve; it helps to have other readings available; you have to have warm fingers to give a reliable reading - etc.
Have a great Christmas and safe climbing in 2013
Mark
ericvola - Jan 6, 2013 1:20 pm - Voted 10/10
Great updateIt is so complete now that it should have a French version. I will see with some of my GHM friends if they would publish it on their website. But I suppose I need to find a French medic to translate properly all the medical terms! I wonder if Jean-Pierre Herry the Chamonix ENSA high altitude medic would be interested? I will see.
Best
markhallam - Jan 10, 2013 12:40 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great updateHello again Eric - I have put quite a lot into this article now and I am grateful for such positive feedback - and it is all the more worth the effort if you succeed in widening the distribution into France!
Merci beaucoup mon ami!
best wishes
Mark
CClaude - Jan 7, 2013 7:20 am - Hasn't voted
Thank youIt is a must read... And the section on frostbite. Had a similar experience when I was younger and have similar funky toenails. Never made a possible correlation...
Great job though
markhallam - Jan 10, 2013 12:44 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Thank youThanks a lot - really appreciate your kind words. Hope you keep your toes warm now... after a close call in 1983 I resorted to chemical heat pads on Aconcagua in 2011 - they didn't stop me getting frostnip in one big toe, but could well have prevented the sort of damage shown in the article.
best wishes
Mark
sharperblue - Jan 14, 2013 1:20 pm - Voted 10/10
missed it somehowI missed this article somehow; truly useful and informative; Thank You very much! also excellent seeing the 'proving grounds' for the information in the background - sweet set of adventures!
markhallam - Jan 14, 2013 2:14 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: missed it somehowThanks very much for the feedback - and from a quick peek at your photos you certainly get around yourself and will have needed to have paid attention to accimatisation a few times!
You should look out for SP writer 'rgg' - he has written quite a lot on bits of the Andes you have visited... I think he also climbed Chopicalqui (have I spelt it OK?!)
best wishes
Mark