Symptoms And Causes Of Acute Mountain Sickness, Experienced By 2 Carstensz Climbers Who Died

Lilie Wijayati Poegiono and Elsa Laksono (Photo: Instagram/@mamakpendaki)

JAKARTA - Social media was shocked by the news that two members of the group of climbers Puncak Carstensz, Lilie Wijayati Poegiono and Elsa Laksono, died allegedly due to cold or hypothermia on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

The Head of Public Relations of the Papua Police, Kombes Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo, said that the two had experienced Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Reporting from the Cleveland Clinic page, Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a condition that attacks mountain climbers, pedestrians, skiers, or travelers d where they are high. This condition usually occurs at an altitude of about 2,400 meters above the surface. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, headache, and shortness of breath. Most cases of this disease are mild and can recover quickly. However, in rare cases, this disease can become severe and cause complications in the lungs or brain.

Cause

At higher altitudes, oxygen levels are lower and air pressure is reduced. When a person takes a plane, drives, climbs a mountain, or skiing at high altitudes, the body may not have enough time to adapt. This can cause acute height disease. The level of physical activity also affects. For example, climbing a mountain too quickly can increase the risk of contracting this disease.

Symptoms

Symptoms of acute height disease usually appear within hours of reaching high altitude and varying depending on the severity.

-L Light Symptoms

If you experience mild cases, the symptoms that can arise include dizziness, headache, muscle aches, difficulty sleeping, nausea and vomiting, irritability, loss of appetite, swelling in the hands, feet and faces, fast heartbeat, and shortness of breath during activities.

- Severe Symptoms

In more severe cases, this disease can affect the heart, lungs, muscles, and nervous system. The swelling of the brain can cause confusion, and the buildup of fluids in the lungs can cause shortness of breath.

Symptoms of severe acute height include cough, tight chest, pale skin or changing color, difficulty walking or losing balance, and withdrawing from social interactions.

If you experience severe symptoms, immediately contact emergency services or seek medical assistance as quickly as possible. This disease is easier to treat if treated before developing further.

The risk of acute height disease is higher if a person lives in a lowland area and is not used to heights. Other risk factors include:

- Up to high altitude quickly

- Severe physical activity as it rises to an altitude

- Travel to places with extreme heights

- Anemia or low number of red blood cells

- Heart disease or lung

- Consumption of drugs such as sleeping pills, drug pain relievers, or sedatives that can slow the rate of breathing

- Have experienced acute height disease before

If you plan to travel to a place with a high height and have the above conditions, you should consult a doctor to prevent acute height.

Doctors will ask about symptoms, activity, and travel history. During the examination, doctors will likely use stethoscopes to detect fluid in the lungs. If needed, doctors may also do chest X-rays to determine the severity of this condition.

Treatment

Treatment of acute height disease depends on the severity. If mild, this condition can improve only by dropping to a lower altitude. However, if there is a swelling of the brain or a buildup of fluids in the lungs, the patient may need to be hospitalized and given oxygen.

Some of the drugs that can be used to treat this disease include:

- Acetazolamide, which is to help fix respiratory problems

- Blood pressure drugs

- Lung Inhaler

- Dexamethasone, reduce brain swelling

- Aspirin to relieve headaches