Join mountain medicine expert Dr. Sebastián Donato for a fascinating discussion on the realities of altitude illness on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in Western and Southern Hemispheres. Drawing from recent rescue operations and real patient cases, Dr. Donato explores the recognition, prevention, and treatment of acute mountain sickness (AMS), high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), and high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Through dramatic stories of climbers who required emergency evacuations, listeners will gain valuable insights into the challenges faced by rescuers and medical teams operating in one of the world’s most demanding high-altitude environments. Recent data from Aconcagua show that altitude illness accounts for the majority of mountain evacuations, with HAPE being the single most common reason climbers require rescue.
This podcast is ideal for climbers, wilderness medicine practitioners, guides, and anyone interested in the medical and human challenges of high-altitude mountaineering.