Wilderness & environmental medicine
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Wilderness Environ Med · Dec 2018
ReviewThe Effects of Acetazolamide on Exercise Performance at Sea Level and in Hypoxic Environments: A Review.
Lowlanders rapidly ascending to high altitude (>2500 m) often develop acute mountain sickness (AMS). While acclimatization is the most effective method of reducing symptoms of AMS (ie, headache, fatigue, nausea, gastrointestinal distress, etc.), it may take several days to become fully acclimated. Prophylactic use of acetazolamide (AZ), a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, has become a popular alternative to staged acclimatization because it can be a less time-consuming method of reducing symptoms of AMS. ⋯ At altitude, AZ treated cohorts' recorded widely variable submaximal and maximal exercise performance. At sea level, AZ impairs submaximal and maximal exercise performance. Due to the wide variation of findings of previously published studies, the effects of AZ on submaximal and maximal exercise performance at altitude remain unknown.
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Wilderness Environ Med · Dec 2018
Case ReportsFatal Pulmonary Edema in a Child After Jellyfish Stings in Korea.
Jellyfish have been increasing at a global scale in recent years. These blooms not only have deleterious effects on marine ecosystems, they also increase the risk of jellyfish stings and accompanying envenomation. ⋯ Nemopilema nomurai was the suspected species of jellyfish encountered by the patient, although we are unable to confirm this. With this case report, we aim to inform on the serious issue of toxicity associated with jellyfish species that bloom mainly along Korean, east Chinese, and Japanese shores and to discuss appropriate first aid methods in case of jellyfish stings.