Low oxygen levels at altitude 'can be life threatening'
Keen walkers may be wise to think about investing in portable oxygen canisters, as it has been advised that suffering from low oxygen levels at altitude can be life threatening.
"But even if they don't develop a high-altitude illness, most will experience some symptoms - a headache, dizziness or shortness of breath - as a result of the lower oxygen levels," says Madeleine Brindley, health editor of the Western Mail.
Professor Damian Bailey, based at the University of Glamorgan, says it is important people climbing at high altitudes make sure they acclimatise sufficiently to ensure the organs can effectively deal with receiving less oxygen.
Jim Whittaker, who was the first American to climb the world's tallest peak in 1963, recently told the Port Townsend Leader that when climbing Mount Everest, five breaths of bottled oxygen are typically taken with each step forward in order to acclimatise to the altitude.
He stated that portable oxygen canisters will make up much of the weight a person carries with them when embarking on such a mission.
Posted by James Worrall
27/04/2010 16:41:43
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