Ibuprofen for AMS...

[111]

"...Because you cant drink beer on Diamox."

 

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2012-03-20/Ibuprofen-may-prevent-altitude-sickness-study-says/53672028/1

 

The American College of Emergency Physicians released a study Tuesday of hikers who took ibuprofen before, during and after an ascent to high altitude. The odds of developing acute mountain sickness, or AMS, were far more likely in a placebo group than in those who took ibuprofen.

Overall, 69 percent of people in the placebo group developed AMS, compared with just 43 percent in the ibuprofen group. And symptoms of AMS were less severe in people in the ibuprofen group who did develop the illness, according to study lead author Dr. Grant Lipman of Stanford University School of Medicine.

"We did this study with the mountaineer or those who have limited vacation time in mind, but it certainly has applicability to the warfighter," Lipman said.

The study consisted of two groups: 44 participants received ibuprofen and 42 got a placebo. They received doses at base camp and another at 11,700 feet. All hiked nearly three miles at altitude, after which they received a third dose. Then they spent the night and took a final dose in the morning.

Their symptoms were monitored and tallied through a questionnaire.

"If you have limited vacation time, or in the case of the military, you don't have time to prepare to go to high altitude, this potentially could be a good medicine," Lipman said.

A number of prescription medications are available to treat altitude sickness, but most have more side effects than ibuprofen, Lipman said.

Still, ibuprofen, as with any medication, carries risk. The popular anti-inflammatory can cause upset stomach, gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney damage in those with reduced kidney function.

"Ibuprofen needs to be taken with lots of fluids and food," Lipman said.

To ward off AMS, the recommended dose, according to Lipman, is 600 milligrams six hours before ascent and 600 milligrams three times on the day of travel.

AMS affects between 25 percent and 40 percent of the population and can be debilitating. Symptoms include headache, sleeping problems, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and fatigue. Treatment involves acclimatization or leaving the high altitude area.

While ibuprofen may help ease the effects of AMS, it's not a cure, Lipman said.

"If you are at high altitude and start feeling sick, I'd suggest you go down hill to the last elevation you felt well at," he said.

Researchers performed their study at elevations of roughly 11,000 feet. Ibuprofen's efficacy in places with higher elevations, including the Himalayas or Andes, has not been studied, he added.

Lipman, a hiker himself, is a fan of his own medicine. He opts for ibuprofen over a prescription like Diamox (acetazolamide) for reasons every weekend hiker can relate to:

"You can't drink beer on Diamox," he quipped.

The study will be published online in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.