Preventie van hoogteziekte met acetazolamide bij gezonde toeristen

Abstract

Willems JHBM. Prevention of altitude sickness with acetazolamide in healthy tourists. Huisarts Wet 2007;50(12):632-5. During their holidays many tourists cross over the ‘altitude boundary’ of 2500 m. They climb high mountains, ride with busses over high passes or fly into airports located at high altitudes. Many develop a light, and some a serious, form of altitude sickness and a small number even experience lung or brain edema. A gradual increase in altitude is the best strategy to prevent serious altitude sickness. Another way of reducing or preventing the complaints is the short-term preventive use of acetazolamide. In the event of ‘forced’ fast altitude rises such as flying into a high-altitude airport or a high sensitivity for altitude sickness, the general practitioner can prescribe this drug for a short period. To do this he must exclude contraindications and have an understanding of the intended rise in altitude, so that he can assess whether or not the indication is acceptable.