A group of student medics have taken medical research to new heights, with a Himalayan trek to study the effects of altitude sickness.
Members of the Wilderness Medicine Society at King’s College London journeyed to the highest mountain region in the world to carry out research, by recording the effects and impacts of altitude on their own bodies while trekking at high altitudes.
The 22 strong group took with them reinforced blood pressure testing equipment, designed for tough conditions and extreme temperatures, and daily measurements were taken to monitor the effects of increasing altitude. Despite challenging obstacles including steep gradients and scree slopes, many team members reached heights of 4700m, though due to severe altitude sickness the team failed to reach their 6300m target. Data collected is expected to provide significant insight into the development of altitude sickness.
RELATED LINKS:
www.kcl.ac.uk