Medications for the prevention and treatment of acute altitude illness
Dosage for prevention | Dosage for treatment | |
AMS | ||
Acetazolamide | 125 or 250 mg every 12 h | 250 mg every 12 h |
Dexamethasone | 2 mg every 6 h or 4 mg every 12 h | AMS: 4 mg every 6 h HACE: 8 mg once then 4 mg every 6 h |
HAPE | ||
Nifedipine | 30 mg sustained release version every 12 h | 30 mg sustained release version every 12 h |
Tadalafil# | 10 mg every 12 h | 10 mg every 12 h |
Salmeterol¶ | 125 μg inhaled every 12 h | Not used for treatment |
AMS: acute mountain sickness; HAPE: high-altitude pulmonary oedema; HACE: high-altitude cerebral oedema. #: should not be used in conjunction with nifedipine; ¶: should not be used as the sole agent for prevention.