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Does Altitude Sickness Cause Slurred Speech And Disorientation?
Question: My wife (age 74, excellent health) and I visited Yosemite over the past 3 days. We were staying at a house at approx. 4,500 ft elevation. On the second day after we returned to the cabin, while helping to prepare a meal, she became disoriented and had difficulty with her balance. She and I laid down and our son called on her phone. She talked to him with slurred speech and fell asleep during the conversation, afterward having no recollection of the conversation. She seemed to recover, but was very tired. Similar episodes occurred once each of the next two days. She takes a low dose statin for BP, otherwise only vitamins and supplements. She usually spreads the three daily statin pills out over the day, but said she took them all at once each day. Could this be altitude sickness or a combination of that with the drug?
Brief Answer:
More likely to be altitude sickness.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for posting your query.
I am Dr Sudhir Kumar, Neurologist, and I would try my best to help you.
I have noted your wife's clinical details. Based on this, it is more likely to be altitude sickness. These symptoms usually occur when one rapidly ascends a high altitude without adequate time to get acclimatised. Symptoms are self-limiting in most cases and most people recover in a few days. If symptoms persist, acetazolamide (diamox) tablets can help.
I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information.
Wishing you good health,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in
More likely to be altitude sickness.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for posting your query.
I am Dr Sudhir Kumar, Neurologist, and I would try my best to help you.
I have noted your wife's clinical details. Based on this, it is more likely to be altitude sickness. These symptoms usually occur when one rapidly ascends a high altitude without adequate time to get acclimatised. Symptoms are self-limiting in most cases and most people recover in a few days. If symptoms persist, acetazolamide (diamox) tablets can help.
I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information.
Wishing you good health,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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