Wilderness & environmental medicine
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Wilderness Environ Med · Jan 2004
Epidemiology of wilderness search and rescue in New Hampshire, 1999-2001.
To describe the epidemiology of wilderness search and rescue in a region with easily accessible, heavily used wilderness areas. ⋯ The most prevalent demographic group requiring search-and-rescue efforts in New Hampshire was men aged 30 to 40 years who were hiking and who resided within a 4-hour drive of the area where they encountered difficulty. To decrease the number of people involved in most search and rescue, efforts should be focused on preventing wilderness users from getting lost and preventing lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries. Wilderness deaths may be prevented by focusing attention on cardiac health in wilderness users older than 50 years and on water safety.
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Wilderness Environ Med · Jan 2004
Case ReportsUse of the Gamow Bag by EMT-basic park rangers for treatment of high-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema.
As part of an emergency medical system protocol, national park service rangers certified at the level of an emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-B) are taught to recognize and treat high-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema. In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, this is done with the assistance of physician on-line medical control as a backup. High-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema are both potentially fatal altitude illnesses that can be particularly problematic in the backcountry, where evacuation may be delayed. We report a case of high-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema occurring at moderate altitude that was successfully treated by park rangers with the Gamow Bag.
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Wilderness Environ Med · Jan 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialMedroxyprogesterone at high altitude. The effects on blood gases, cerebral regional oxygenation, and acute mountain sickness.
To study the effect of medroxyprogesterone on blood gases and cerebral regional oxygenation at high altitude, alone and in conjunction with acetazolamide, and to assess the effect on acute mountain sickness (AMS). ⋯ Medroxyprogesterone acts as a respiratory stimulant, but the clinical benefit regarding the development of AMS was unproven at high altitude. Combined medroxyprogesterone and acetazolamide gave the best PaO2.
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Wilderness Environ Med · Jan 2003
Biography Historical Article Classical ArticleThe immersion foot syndrome. 1946.
1. Prolonged exposure of the extremities to cold insufficient to cause tissue freezing produces a well-defined syndrome. 'Immersion foot' is one of the descriptive but inaccurate terms applied to this syndrome. The clinical features, aetiology, pathology, prevention, and treatment of immersion foot are considered in detail. ⋯ During the period of the study, one of us (R. L. R.) was in receipt of a personal grant from the Medical Research Council.
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Wilderness Environ Med · Jan 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialLack of effect of Rhodiola or oxygenated water supplementation on hypoxemia and oxidative stress.
This study investigated the effects of 2 potentially "oxygen promoting" dietary supplements on hypoxia and oxidative stress at a simulated altitude of 4600 m. ⋯ The 2 dietary supplements investigated did not have a significant effect on blood oxygenation after 60 minutes of sedentary hypoxic exposure. Hypoxia-induced oxidative stress was observed in the control group only. Both supplements appeared not to increase oxidative stress and may decrease free radical formation after hypoxic exposure compared with the control.