The combined use of acetazolamide and Rhodiola in the prevention and treatment of altitude sickness

Abstract

Background: Altitude sickness (AS), which is caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevations, poses a great threat to humans working and traveling in these conditions. Acute mountain sickness includes high-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema. Acetazolamide (AZ) is often used to treat pulmonary edema caused by hypoxia. Additionally, the medicinal plant Rhodiola rosea L. (Rh) is often used to prevent AS in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. However, the mechanisms of action of Rh and AZ in the treatment of AS remain unclear. To date, no research has been conducted to determine whether their combined use has better efficacy in the treatment and prevention of AS than their separate use.