Danger related to stay at high altitude - acute mountain sickness. Acute mountain sickness is a common disease related to high altitude. Its main reason is decrease of oxygen partial pressure in the air, and symptoms such as headache, loss of appetite, nausea and sleep disturbances are effect of hypoxia. The risk of AMS increases with increase of ascent rate and height. In extreme cases cerebral and pulmonary oedema may appear. AMS can be prevented by proper acclimatisation process as well as drugs administration, and if it appears it should be treated immediately.

Keywords: acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral oedema, high altitude pulmonary oedema, prevention, treatment.