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high altitude pulmonary edema

HAPE, The Killer You Didn’t See Coming

Climbing at Altitude

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is not only one of the top causes of death in high altitude mountaineering, but it is made even more dangerous by its unpredictable nature. HAPE has claimed the lives of even the fittest, most knowledgeable and most prepared mountaineers.  While there are signs that susceptibility to the condition may be linked to genetics, this connection […]

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Jack Conroy | July 17, 2019
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HIGH ALTITIUDE PULMONARY EDEMA – ‘HAPE’: THE #1 KILLER AT ALTITUDE

High Altitude Climbing

WHAT IS HAPE? The adrenaline rush and breathtaking views that inspire so many to take to the high mountains, can also, quite literally, take your breath away. The three most common causes of death at high altitude are acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema – the most severe, and life-threatening. High Altitude […]

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Jacqui Davis | November 8, 2018
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High Altitude Pulmonary Edema: Killer in Disguise

Altitude Rescue

The first recorded instance of altitude sickness dates back to around 37-32 B.C. A Chinese official named Too Kin referenced the “Big Headache Mountain” while traveling over what is believed to have been the Karakoram Range in the Himalayas [1]. It is no secret that higher elevations have lower levels of oxygen available for the respiration required to sustain life. […]

Reed Philips | October 29, 2018
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The #1 Killer at Altitude: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (H.A.P.E.)

Oh Oxygen

  One of the number one killers at altitude, High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), is not well understood and affects individuals who are otherwise physically fit. It sounds a bit illusive, doesn’t it? An individual’s susceptibility to the illness and its direct cause may not be fully grasped, but we do know what it is and the sings and symptoms […]

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Jenah MacGrain | October 20, 2017
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High Altitude Pulmonary Edema—What It Is and Why You Should Care

Starry Night over Mt. Everest

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, or HAPE, is the most common and most fatal form of high altitude sickness. HAPE results from fluid building up in the lungs over time while at high altitude. Essentially, victims of HAPE take in less and less oxygen due to the low air pressure at high altitudes as fluid continues to fill up their lungs, resulting […]

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Maggie Dean | October 1, 2017
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HAPE “High Altitude Pulmonary Edema,” A Deadly Complication of Altitude Sickness

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High Altitude Pulmonary Edema or “HAPE” is a fairly unknown consequence of rapid ascent to high altitudes which can be fatal if not caught and treated properly. According to the International HAPE Database the illness is one of the top killers in individuals and recreationalists exposed to high altitudes. Many put themselves at risk of the illness frequently and have no […]

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Logan Stout | October 1, 2017
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Trouble in High Places: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema

On top of the world! Credit: Sports Radio Knoxville HAPE is not a joke. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema or HAPE is one of the leading causes of death among mountaineers and high altitude skiers and snowboarders. HAPE is a disease in which the lower air pressure at high altitudes causes one’s lungs to become filled with fluids. It can occur […]

Jason Ringenberg | October 1, 2017
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Is Easy Access To Resorts Increasing High Altitude Pulmonary Edema?

flying

Work at the office is finished, skis are waxed and ready and your Jet Blue direct flight to the mountains is on time. In less than 24 hours you’ll be shredding and slashing your way down the greatest runs of your life without a worry in the world. Until your lungs fill with water of course. Say what? With the […]

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Alex K | October 1, 2017
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HAPE: The Number One Killer at High Altitude

Dangerous Skiing

  Recreation at high altitude entails many existential threats. Avalanches, rock falls, lighting, and hypothermia all leap to mind as serious threats. Yet, the leading cause of death at high altitude (8,200 ft or 2,500 m and above) is probably something many are not familiar with, high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Pulmonary edema is the accumulation of fluid in the tissues […]

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Curtis Weller | October 1, 2017
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Know Before You Go:  Altitude is Everything

Sherpas

Incredible peaks, challenging terrain, extreme climates; it’s what mountain folk thrive on. High altitude landscapes have drawn in mountaineers for years, but there are still things that leave us at the mercy of Mother Nature.  In this case, it is a rare, but life-threatening occurrence called High Altitude Pulmonary Edema or HAPE. Without proper acclimation, HAPE can happen to an […]

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Katy Shipley | October 1, 2017
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High Altitude Pulmonary Edema: The #1 Altitude Sickness Killer

HAPE symptoms

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, also known as HAPE, is the deadliest but least understood acute mountain sickness killer and can be deadly within hours of experiencing symptoms.  HAPE is a build up of liquid in the lungs which makes it difficult for the affected person to breath properly do to quick elevation gains. When a person who is susceptible to […]

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Brian Werner | October 1, 2017
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HAPE- Major Killer of Mountaineers at High Altitudes

Rapid ascents of elevation or failure to acclimate to high elevations can lead to altitude sickness, or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), amongst novice and experienced mountaineers alike. Although AMS itself cannot lead to death, it can lead to more serious illness if not treated immediately. High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), when the brain swells with fluid, and High Altitude Pulmonary […]

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Mitch Flores | October 1, 2017
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What the Hell is up with HAPE?

Mammoth Mountain. January 14th. I was sitting in a gondola being carried to heaven: I was going to the best bluebird day of my snowboarding career after a week of storms dropped around 20 feet of snow. After I landed, I skated to an untouched spot, arriving breathless and exhausted. I powered through and dropped in. The snow was magical, […]

Helena Guglielmino | September 16, 2017
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HAPE: No One is Immune

Hikers on Mountain

According to an investigation report in the Academic Forensic Pathology journal published in 2018, an estimated 30 million people travel to high elevations every year in the western United States alone. Every single time a person travels to high elevations, they put themselves at risk for experiencing high-altitude pulmonary edema, more commonly known as HAPE. This sometimes-overlooked high-altitude illness (HAI) […]

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Liam Abbott | December 8, 2016
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Why you should pay close attention to altitude sickness

Source: Pixaby.com Have ever experienced dizziness, light-headedness, shortness of breath, or nausea in the mountains? You may have had a case of what is referred to as altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS). Altitude sickness can occur at altitudes above 6,500 ft (2000 m) and a more extreme and severe case of altitude sickness is High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) […]

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Errol Lawrence | February 1, 2014
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