How to Avoid Pulmonary Edema at High Elevation

Pulmonary edema is caused by excess fluid in the lungs. Every time you take a breath, the air sacs in your lungs take in oxygen while releasing carbon dioxide. In most cases, this exchange of gases is not problematic. However, under some circumstances the increased pressure in your blood vessels will force excess fluid into your lungs.This prevents your lungs from absorbing oxygen, and causes a condition called pulmonary edema.

Usually, this condition is the result of some sort of heart condition. However, it also occurs at high altitude. In this case, high altitude is defined as altitudes over 6,500 feet. Whether you are a mountain climber of as backcountry skier, it behooves you to understand the risks on high-altitude pulmonary edema.