High-altitude pulmonary edema: a case series of four patients from Nepal
Abstract
Background and importance: High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a potentially fatal, non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema that develops after rapid ascent above 2500 m. Its incidence is influenced by ascent rate, altitude, and individual susceptibility, with risk factors including overexertion, cold exposure, respiratory infection, and genetic predisposition. Despite Nepal's extensive high-altitude trekking activity, published HAPE reports remain limited. This case series describes the clinical presentation, diagnostic features, and management outcomes of HAPE in Nepalese trekkers to promote early recognition and guide timely interventions.
Methods: This retrospective case series included patients with HAPE managed at a tertiary care center in Nepal. Cases were identified from hospital records, and relevant literature was narratively reviewed to contextualize findings.
Case presentation: Four previously healthy adults developed acute HAPE after rapid ascent above 4000 m in Nepal. They presented with dyspnea, cough, hypoxemia (SpO2 55-60%), and bilateral crackles. Imaging confirmed non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. All patients received supplemental oxygen, nifedipine, and supportive care, resulting in gradual clinical improvement and discharge within 3-5 days.
Clinical discussion: This series highlights the clinical variability of HAPE and emphasizes early diagnosis, descent, and oxygen therapy as mainstays of treatment. Rapid ascent, excessive exertion, cold exposure, and…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Protective effects of tadalafil and N-acetyl cysteine therapy on cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity
- The Use of Generative AI for Scientific Literature Searches for Systematic Reviews: ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing AI Performance Evaluation
- Sildenafil as a Candidate Drug for Alzheimer’s Disease: Real-World Patient Data Observation and Mechanistic Observations from Patient-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons
- Ozone-modified properties of pumpkin seed oil as anti-H. pylori, anticancer, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity agent
- Effectiveness of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Erectile Dysfunction: An Analysis of Sexual Function and Penile Hardness at Erection: An Umbrella Review
- Molecular Docking of Silymarin as a Ligand for Aromatase Enzyme and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Using Molegro Virtual Docker
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.