Return to Low-Altitude Sickness: An Entity That Doesn't Exist-Reply

Abstract

In Reply. — In Dr Tyler's opinion, the patient described as suffering from return to low-altitude may well have been experiencing episodes of migraine. He mentions emotion among the possible causative factors; I agree. He then postulates for the patient an etiologic double dose, the second factor being a change (either positive or negative) in barometric pressure. Dr Tyler then goes on to describe his own experience with patients prone to develop who experience migraine when they travel from low to high altitude in Arizona, and for them he prescribes acetazolamide. Is he suggesting that the headache experienced by visitors to high altitude is simply one more manifestation of and, further, that acetazolamide might be useful in preventing any form of migraine? This I would question. Acute mountain sickness is a well-recognized clinical entity 1 experienced by otherwise healthy but impatient individuals who travel high too