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High Altitude: HAPE and HACE

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)

HAPE results from fluid build-up in the lungs. The fluid in the lungs prevents effective oxygen exchange. As the condition becomes more severe, the level of oxygen in the bloodstream decreases, and this can lead to impaired cerebral function and even death. Symptoms include shortness of breath even at rest, tightness in the chest, extreme fatigue, a feeling of impending suffocation, weakness, and a persistent cough bringing up white, watery or frothy fluid. Confusion and irrational behavior are signs that insufficient oxygen is reaching the brain.

In cases of HAPE, immediate descent is a necessary life-saving measure (2,000 – 4,000 feet).

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)

HACE is the result of swelling or brain tissue from fluid leakage. Symptoms can include headache, loss of coordination, weakness, decreasing levels of consciousness including disorientation, loss of memory, hallucinations, psychotic behavior, and coma. Severe instances can lead to death if not treated quickly.
Immediate descent is a necessary life-saving measure (2,000 – 4,000 feet).

Everest Base Camp Trek Journal:
Lukla – Welcome to the Khumbu Region
Phakding – It’s all uphill from here
Namche Bazaar – Never stand between a yak and a 1,000-ft sheer drop off
Thame – Good ‘ol sherpa hospitality
Khunde – May those who seek the Path of Peace find It, and Happiness
Tengboche – Hot showars for everyone
Dingboche – 14,300 foot high yak pastures
The Pyramid – Who built a pyramid in the middle of the Himalayas?
Gorak Shep – The inside of my tent is as cold as a meat locker
Kala Pattar – It’s all downhill from here, for us anyway
Everest Base Camp – We’ve already traveled a vertical distance of over 37,000 feet to get here – that’s more than one Everest!

map – gear – itinerary – news article