High Altitude Pulmonary Edema

Excerpt

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a fatal form of severe high-altitude illness. HAPE is a form of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema that occurs secondary to hypoxia. It is a clinical diagnosis characterized by fatigue, dyspnea, and dry cough with exertion. If left untreated, it can progress to dyspnea at rest, rales, cyanosis, and a mortality rate of up to 50%.