Acute Mountain Sickness

Subject: Geography

Section: Physiography

Concept:

Anurag is the second Indian to be rescued from Mount Annapurna this week after Baljeet Kaur.

Acute Mountain Sickness

Acute mountain sickness can occur when a person who is used to being at a low altitude ascends to a higher altitude.
It is the most common type of high-altitude illness and occurs in more than one-fourth of people traveling to above 3500 m (11 667 ft) and more than one-half of people traveling to above 6000 m (20 000 ft).
Symptoms include headache, fatigue, poor appetite, nausea or vomiting, light-headedness, and sleep disturbances.
In less than 1% of cases, symptoms can progress to high-altitude cerebral edema, a life-threatening condition marked by symptoms of wobbly gait, confusion, and decreased consciousness.

Mt. Annapurna

Mount Annapurna is situated in the Annapurna Mountain range of Gandaki Province, north-central Nepal.
It is the tenth highest mountain in the world at 8,091 meters above sea level.
The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the 7,629-square-kilometre Annapurna Conservation Area.
It is also known as the Killer Mountain due to its fatality to summit rate.