Alpine travel. Mountain sickness, the unwelcome companion.

A personal observation and two cases from the literature are described to draw attention to the dangers of mountain sickness and to the rapid progression from the milder form, termed acute mountain sickness, to the more serious conditions of high-altitude pulmonary or cerebral oedema and their possible fatal outcome. The pathogenesis and treatment of the disorders are briefly reviewed. It is stressed that there are no substitutes for acclimatization through gradual ascent and that the best treatment is to descend to a lower altitude.