Travelling at high altitude: what are the hazards?

June Muxworthy writes
My husband and I are contemplating a trip to South America to include Machu Picchu and other large-altitude places in the Andes. I am 72 and suffer from angina pectoris but I take into account myself really lively. Ought to I be taking into consideration visiting these substantial-altitude areas? I would welcome tips from your health care skilled.

Dr Richard Dawood, travel wellness professional, replies
Angina is ache resulting from lowered oxygenation of heart muscle, so a sudden reduction in oxygen strain could perhaps make it worse. Ahead of travelling to large altitude, you should talk about your strategies very carefully with your cardiologist, to verify that you are in a sufficiently secure condition, capable to tolerate the two the decreased oxygen strain and the improved physical exercise that goes with this kind of a trip. You would also need to think about that – as with other remote destinations – there might be no simple accessibility to first-globe medical care in a crisis, and that great health care insurance coverage cover requirements to be in area.

The major difficulty with brief trips to substantial altitude is that they do not enable enough time for acclimatisation. Most men and women are capable of adapting effectively to higher altitude – in the finish. The challenge is to locate an itinerary that enables you to ascend progressively adequate, spending a few days at two or three intermediate altitudes along the way till you are really prepared to carry on. At an altitude of ten,925ft, Cuzco is the staging level for receiving to Machu Picchu: many travelers fly in straight from sea level, in a misguided work to conserve time or cash. Machu Picchu itself is reduced, at 8,000ft, but other common and desirable destinations in South America are considerably larger: La Paz twelve,562ft, Lake Titicaca twelve,507ft. Without arranging items cautiously and allowing enough time, travelling to these remarkable spots will be stressful and unenjoyable.

Dr Richard Dawood is a expert in travel medication at the Fleet Street Clinic (020 7353 5678) and editor of Travellers’ Overall health (OUP)

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About Dr Richard Dawood

Richard is the healthcare director of the Fleet Street Clinic in London and has travelled in more than 100 countries. The fifth edition of his guide Travellers’ Well being: How to Remain Healthy Abroad is due out in autumn.

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Travelling at high altitude: what are the hazards?