What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated whether early pressurization could prevent or delay acute mountain sickness (AMS) in unacclimatized subjects rapidly ascending to high altitude.
What They Found
Immediately after 3 hours of pressurization, the treatment group showed a significant decrease in AMS score (from 2.44 to 0.89, p < 0.05) and an increase in oxygen saturation (from 75.22% to 79.07%, p < 0.05), unlike the control group whose scores remained unchanged. However, by the next morning, AMS scores, heart rate, and oxygen saturation were similar between both groups.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients experiencing acute mountain sickness, early short-term pressurization might offer temporary relief from symptoms and improve oxygen levels. However, this intervention does not prevent the illness or reduce its severity in the long term, suggesting other preventative measures are still crucial.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted in the Alps.
Study Limitations
A key limitation is that the observed benefits of pressurization were only temporary, failing to prevent or significantly attenuate acute mountain sickness in the long term.