title: Risk Stratification for Athletes and Adventurers in High-Altitude Environments: Recommendations for Preparticipation Evaluation.
abstract: High-altitude athletes and adventurers face a number of environmental and medical risks. Clinicians often advise participants or guiding agencies before or during these experiences. Preparticipation evaluation (PPE) has the potential to reduce risk of high-altitude illnesses in athletes and adventurers. Specific conditions susceptible to high-altitude exacerbation also important to evaluate include cardiovascular and lung diseases. Recommendations by which to counsel individuals before participation in altitude sports and adventures are few and of limited focus. We reviewed the literature, collected expert opinion, and augmented principles of a traditional sport PPE to accommodate the high-altitude wilderness athlete/adventurer. We present our findings with specific recommendations on risk stratification during a PPE for the high-altitude athlete/adventurer.
authors.affiliation: Family and Sports Medicine, University of Utah Health Care, Salt Lake City, Utah (Dr Campbell). Electronic address: aaroncampbell100@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aaron D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Utah Health Care, Salt Lake City, Utah (Drs McIntosh and Nyberg).
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Utah Health Care, Salt Lake City, Utah (Drs McIntosh and Nyberg).
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (Dr Powell).
authors.forename: Amy P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.affiliation: Bay Area Pulmonary/Critical Care Medical Associates, Berkeley/Oakland, California (Dr Schoene).
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Schoene
authors.affiliation: Institute for Altitude Medicine, Telluride, Colorado (Dr Hackett).
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hackett
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056352:Athletes; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013177:Sports; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D055814:Wilderness
keywords: altitude; chronic disease AND altitude; preparticipation evaluation; wilderness athlete; wilderness sports