Differential diagnosis of altitude illness
In people who are unwell at high altitude, consider differential diagnoses for altitude illness as well as comorbidities that may be aggravated (eg by hypoxia, by exertion if hiking); see Differential diagnoses in acute mountain sickness (AMS) and high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) and Differential diagnoses in high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE).
- exhaustion
- hypothermia
- hyponatraemia
- migraine
- dehydration
- infection
- carbon monoxide poisoning
- drug or alcohol intoxication
- hypoglycaemia
- severe hyperglycaemia
- transient ischaemic attack or stroke
- acute psychosis, including presentations relating to the use of corticosteroids
- respiratory infection, such as pneumonia, acute bronchitis, SARS (eg COVID-19)
- pulmonary embolus
- heart failure
- acute coronary syndrome
- asthma
- exertional hyponatraemia
Note:
SARS = syndrome of acute respiratory distress; COVID-19 = coronavirus disease of 2019