[Nontraumatic medical emergencies in mountain rescues].

OBJECTIVES

To describe the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of patients with nontraumatic medical problems rescued by a Spanish mountain emergency response service (061 Aragon).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective observational analysis of records of mountain rescues completed between July 2010 and December 2016.

RESULTS

A total of 164 patients with nontraumatic medical emergencies were rescued; 82.3% were males. Most patients were between the ages of 50 and 59 years. Environmentally related problems, most often hypothermia, accounted for 36.6% of the emergencies. Cardiac problems led to 20.7% and digestive problems to 12.8%. Eighty-two percent of the patients were hiking or engaged in general mountain activities (other than rock climbing, canyoning, hunting, or skiing).

CONCLUSION

Recent years have seen a rise in the number of patients requiring rescue from mountains for nontraumatic medical emergencies, particularly heart problems. The typical patient to expect would be a man between the ages of 50 and 59 years who is hiking in the summer.