The Physiologic Basis of High-Altitude Diseases

Letters5 April 2005The Physiologic Basis of High-Altitude DiseasesBuddha Basnyat, MDBuddha Basnyat, MDFrom Nepal International Clinic, Kathmandu, Nepal.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-142-7-200504050-00021 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:I read West's review on the physiologic basis of high-altitude diseases (1) with interest. A large recent trial in the Nepalese Himalayas involving 614 western trekkers convincingly showed that Ginkgo biloba was not effective in the prevention of acute mountain sickness (2). Perhaps this study should have been included in West's review. Although this field study did have some limitations, it revealed that gingko caused significantly increased headache when combined with acetazolamide compared with acetazolamide alone.Buddha Basnyat, MDNepal International Clinic; Kathmandu, NepalReferences1. West JB. The physiologic basis of high-altitude diseases. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:789-800. [PMID: 15545679] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Gertsch JH, Basnyat B, Johnson EW, Onopa J, Holck PS. Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled comparison of ginkgo biloba and acetazolamide for prevention of acute mountain sickness among Himalayan trekkers: the prevention of high altitude illness trial (PHAIT). BMJ. 2004;328:797. [PMID: 15070635] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Buddha Basnyat, MDAffiliations: From Nepal International Clinic, Kathmandu, Nepal. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Physiologic Basis of High-Altitude Diseases John B. West The Physiologic Basis of High-Altitude Diseases Anil Pandit The Physiologic Basis of High-Altitude Diseases Matiram Pun The Physiologic Basis of High-Altitude Diseases John B. West Metrics Cited byMice lacking 1,4,5-triphosphate inositol type III receptor demonstrate inhibition of hypoxic pulmonary hypertensionEffects of sleep insufficiency on spatial working memory in low-pressure and hypoxic environmentsMinocycline ameliorates hypoxia-induced blood–brain barrier damage by inhibition of HIF-1α through SIRT-3/PHD-2 degradation pathwayMetabolomic analysis of the plasma of patients with high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) using 1H NMR 5 April 2005Volume 142, Issue 7Page: 591KeywordsAltitude sicknessHeadaches ePublished: 5 April 2005 Issue Published: 5 April 2005 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...