While AMS and HACE occurs equally frequently in males and females, HAPE occurs more often in males. The earliest description of altitude sickness is attributed to a Chinese text from around 30 BCE which describes "Big Headache Mountains", possibly referring to the Karakoram Mountains around Kilik Pass. Signs and symptoms
People have different susceptibilities to altitude sickness; for some otherwise healthy people, acute altitude sickness can begin to appear at around 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level, such as at many mountain ski resorts, equivalent to a pressure of 80 kilopascals (0.79 atm). This is the most frequent type of altitude sickness encountered. Symptoms often manifest within ten hours of ascent and generally subside within two days, though they occasionally develop into the more serious conditions. Symptoms include headache, confusion, fatigue, stomach illness, dizziness, and sleep disturbance. Exertion may aggravate the symptoms.Those individuals with the lowest initial partial pressure of end-tidal pCO2 (the lowest concentration of carbon dioxide at the end of the respiratory cycle, a measure of a higher alveolar ventilation) and corresponding high oxygen saturation levels tend to have a lower incidence of acute mountain sickness than those with high end-tidal pCO2 and low oxygen saturation levels. Primary symptoms
Headaches are the primary symptom used to diagnose altitude sickness, although a headache is also a symptom of dehydration.
Simeticone (INN), also known as simethicone (USAN), is an anti-foaming agent used to reduce bloating, discomfort or pain caused by excessive gas. Medical uses
Simeticone is used to relieve the symptoms of excessive gas in the gastrointestinal tract, namely bloating, burping, and flatulence. While there is a lack of conclusive evidence that simeticone is effective for this use, ⁣ studies have shown that it can relieve symptoms of functional dyspepsia and functional bloating.It has not been fully established that simeticone is useful to treat colic in babies, and it is not recommended for this purpose. A study in the United Kingdom reported that according to parental perception simeticone helped infant colic in some cases.Simeticone can also be used for suspected postoperative abdominal discomfort in infants. Side effects
Simeticone does not have any serious side effects. Two uncommon side effects (occurring in 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000 patients) are constipation and nausea. Pharmacology
Simeticone is a non-systemic surfactant which decreases the surface tension of gas bubbles in the GI tract. This allows gas bubbles to leave the GI tract as flatulence or belching. Simeticone does not reduce or prevent the formation of gas. Its effectiveness has been shown in several in vitro studies. Chemistry
Simethicone is a mixture of dimethicone and silicon dioxide. Names
The INN name is "simeticone", which was added to the INN recommended list in 1999.Simeticone is marketed under many brand names and in many combination drugs; it is also marketed as a veterinary drug. == References ==