Institute of Occupational, Social & Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen Technical University, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
Medical Department, St. Antonius Hospital, 52249 Eschweiler, Germany.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 7;19(24):16388. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416388.
High-altitude tourist trekking continues to grow in popularity on the Everest Trek in Nepal. We examined which pre-existing cardiovascular and health conditions these global trekkers had and what health issues they encountered during the trek, be it exacerbations of pre-existing conditions, or new acute ones.
Trekkers ( = 350) were recruited from guesthouses along the Everest Trek, mostly at Tengboche (3860 m). After completing a questionnaire on their health and travel preparation, they underwent a basic physical examination with an interview.
Almost half (45%) had pre-existing conditions, mostly orthopaedic and cardiovascular diseases. The average age was 42.7 years (range 18-76). The average BMI was 23.4 kg/m, but 21% were overweight. A third were smokers (30%), and 86% had at least one major cardiovascular risk factor. A quarter (25%) were suffering from manifest acute mountain sickness (AMS), and 72% had at least one symptom of AMS. Adequate pre-travel examination, consultation, and sufficient personal preparation were rarely found. In some cases, a distinct cardiovascular risk profile was assessed. Hypertensive patients showed moderately elevated blood pressure, and cholesterol levels were favourable in most cases. No cardiovascular emergencies were found, which was fortunate as timely, sufficient care was not available during the trek.
The results of earlier studies in the Annapurna region should be revalidated. Every trekker to the Himalayas should consult a physician prior to departure, ideally a travel medicine specialist. Preventative measures and education on AMS warrant special attention. Travellers with heart disease or with a pronounced cardiovascular risk profile should be presented to an internal medicine professional. Travel plans must be adjusted individually, especially with respect to adequate acclimatisation time and no physical overloading. With these and other precautions, trekking at high altitudes is generally safe and possible, even with significant pre-existing health conditions. Trekking can lead to invaluable personal experiences. Since organized groups are limited in their flexibility to change their itinerary, individual trekking or guided tours in small groups should be preferred.
在尼泊尔的珠穆朗玛峰徒步旅行中，高海拔旅游徒步旅行的受欢迎程度持续上升。我们研究了这些全球徒步旅行者在徒步旅行前已经患有哪些心血管和健康状况，以及他们在徒步旅行中遇到了哪些健康问题，无论是原有疾病的恶化，还是新的急性疾病。
徒步旅行者（=350）是从珠穆朗玛峰徒步旅行沿线的宾馆招募的，主要是在腾布切（3860 米）。在完成了一份关于他们的健康和旅行准备情况的问卷后，他们接受了基本的体检和访谈。
近一半（45%）的人有既往病史，主要是骨科和心血管疾病。平均年龄为 42.7 岁（范围 18-76 岁）。平均 BMI 为 23.4kg/m，但 21%的人超重。三分之一的人吸烟（30%），86%的人至少有一个主要心血管危险因素。四分之一（25%）的人患有明显的急性高山病（AMS），72%的人至少有一个 AMS 症状。很少有旅行者进行充分的旅行前检查、咨询和个人准备。在某些情况下，评估了明显的心血管风险状况。高血压患者的血压略有升高，大多数情况下胆固醇水平良好。没有发现心血管紧急情况，这是幸运的，因为在徒步旅行期间没有及时、充足的护理。
应重新验证之前在安纳普尔纳地区的研究结果。每个前往喜马拉雅山的徒步旅行者在出发前都应咨询医生，理想情况下是咨询旅行医学专家。应特别注意预防措施和 AMS 教育。有心脏病或明显心血管风险的旅行者应向内科医生就诊。旅行计划必须根据个人情况进行调整，特别是要考虑到充分的适应时间和避免身体过度劳累。通过这些和其他预防措施，高海拔徒步旅行通常是安全和可能的，即使有明显的健康状况。徒步旅行可以带来宝贵的个人体验。由于有组织的团体在改变行程方面的灵活性有限，因此应优先选择个人徒步旅行或小团体导游旅行。
