High Altitude Mountain Medicine and Training

Mt. Fuji attracts about 400,000 climbers every year, and several die of cardiac failure or other causes. One of the major causes of death at high altitudes is severe disorders caused by low oxygen, or altitude sickness. At a height of more than 3,000 meters, the lower atmospheric pressure reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood by 60% compared with when the person is on level ground.

Effect of gait balance factors in Mt. Fuji summit

Rika  IDE

Tokyo metropolitan ohtsuka hospital

We investigated the ability of accelerometer measurements to evaluate gait balance in Mt. Fuji (3776m). This study suggest that the factors of gait balance were gait condition (descending), AMS score. We inspect about the factors of trekking condition (weight load, stride etc) at Mt. Fuji summit. Furthermore, we are going to try control test in trekking course in Mt. Fuji summit. If this measurements are possible to evaluate gait balance in mountaineering, it will be indicators of body condition, slide down accidents risk.

Impact of overnight sleep condition on acute mountain sickness

Masahiro HORIUCHI
Mount Fuji Research Institute, Yamanashi Prefectural Government

In general, rapid ascent to higher altitude may cause acute mountain sickness (AMS), suggested that climbing mountain without sleep or rest may cause higher incidence and severity of AMS. However, our preliminary survey revealed that worse sleep condition is related to the incidence and severity of AMS. Thus, it is not always true that climbing mountain with overnight stay at mountain cabin would be recommended to prevent AMS. In the present study, we try to investigate potential influence of sleep condition on AMS during short stay at the top of Mt.Fuji.

Ambulatory monitoring of hemodynamics during mountaineering

Takahiro Komori

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine

Hidenori Kanazawa, Department of Radiology, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine

Kazuomi Kario, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine

Satoshi Hoshide, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine

The blood pressure variability during mountaineering and short staying at high altitude was unclear. The purpose of our study is the measurement of blood pressure levels and variability during mountaineering and staying at high altitude. The study subject is 10 healthy adults without cardiovascular disease. Twenty-four hours blood pressure during climbing Mt. Fuji is measured by using novel multi- sensor ambulatory blood pressure monitoring device.