[High altitude pulmonary edema. Physiopathologic considerations apropos of a case].

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) generally appears in persons who climb over 2,500 meters (8,300 feet) above sea level, or in residents at altitudes beyond 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) who go down to sea level for a short period of time and return to their place of residence. Although dozens of cases have been reported, their etiopathogenesis is unknown, although both hydrostatic and permeability factors have been implied in its genesis. In this paper we describe the first HAPE case reported in the national literature and the factors implied in its physiopathology are reviewed.