Medicine for high altitude sickness in India

A clinician may discuss acetazolamide before a rapid climb or when a traveller has had altitude illness before. It is not a substitute for allowing time to acclimatise, drinking normally, avoiding heavy alcohol use during the ascent, and changing plans if you become unwell. Arrange medication before travel rather than relying on finding it in a remote mountain area.

At higher elevations, each breath contains less available oxygen. Your body needs time to adapt. Acute mountain sickness commonly starts after going higher and can include a new headache, poor sleep, tiredness, reduced appetite, dizziness, or nausea. A [Headache](/symptoms/headache/) or [Nausea](/symptoms/nausea/) after ascent deserves attention in the context of your route and the change in height.

Acetazolamide supports acclimatisation by changing how the body handles bicarbonate and stimulating breathing. It may be unsuitable for some people, including those with particular kidney problems, medication interactions, pregnancy considerations, or a history of serious medicine reactions. A prescriber can assess the individual situation.

Build rest or acclimatisation days into an itinerary, especially after flying or driving directly to a high destination. Do not increase sleeping altitude when mild symptoms are progressing. Pause, rest, keep warm, eat what you can tolerate, and avoid exertion until you feel clearly better.

Ask a clinician whether preventive medicine is appropriate for your exact route, sleeping elevations, past altitude symptoms, other medicines, and medical conditions. Dexamethasone may be prescribed for selected emergency situations, but it does not replace acclimatisation and should be used only with a clinician's instructions. A [Travel Health Consultation](/treatments/occupational-and-travel-medicine/travel-health-consultation/) can help you make a route-specific plan.

Stop ascending and descend with support if symptoms are getting worse, do not improve with rest, or interfere with walking and normal activity. Seek urgent medical help for breathlessness at rest, a persistent cough with frothy sputum, confusion, marked drowsiness, loss of coordination, fainting, or a severe headache with repeated vomiting. These can signal serious altitude-related illness.

Do not leave an unwell person alone and do not wait for a medicine to take effect before arranging descent or emergency assessment. Local weather, transport, and distance can make evacuation slower, so discuss contingency plans before travelling.

Tell the clinician the highest place you will sleep, how quickly you will travel there, and whether you have previously had altitude symptoms. Ask whether acetazolamide is suitable for you, how to recognise medicine side effects, what to do if symptoms begin, and which symptoms mean you should descend immediately. Bring a list of regular medicines and any past drug allergies.