The administration of acetazolamidum for the symptom prophylaxis of an acute mountain sickness when short-term dislocation from middle mountains to highlands takes place

Abstract

The development of mountain sickness symptoms is one of the limiting factors of successful physical performance in middle mountains and highlands. Among drugs with established effectiveness for the prophylaxis of an acute mountain sickness carbonic anhydrase inhibitor acetazolamidum is also viewed, but at presence there is no universal approach to this issue and drug dosage regimen for its administration have not been elaborated. Aim. А comprehensive analysis of acetazolamidum being administered in the range of effective doses has been carried out. Methods. During the experiment the effect of acetazolamidum on physical performance and resistance of rats to an acute hypobaric hypoxia when administered in the range of effective doses (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg) was studied. During full-scale approbation the effect of acetazolamidum in various dosages on adaptation processes in the course of a rapid dislocation from middle mountains to highlands (glade Azau-the Elbrus mountain) was assessed. Results. The undertaken study showed that the administration of acetazolamidum to rats beginning from a daily dosage 20 mg/kg, that corresponds to human intake of 250 mg of the drug, promotes significant increase of survival time of rats following acute hypoxic exposure as well as growth of an animal performance ability factor under hypoxia. Conclusion. In the course of full-scale approbation it was established that prophylactic intake of acetazolamidum in examined doses prevents the development of symptoms of an acute mountain sickness when rapid dislocation from middle mountains (2300 m) to highlands (5000 m) takes place in the background of physical activity according to the results of sportsmen’s performance of Lake Louise test. (For citation: Vetryakov OV, Bykov VN, Fateev IV, Khalimov YS. The administration of acetazolamidum for the symptom prophylaxis of an acute mountain sickness when short-term dislocation from middle mountains to highlands takes place. Reviews on Clinical Pharmacology and Drug Therapy. 2018;16(2):42-48. doi: 10.17816/RCF16242-48).