Does Altitude Affect Asthma?

Fit, healthy people with well-controlled asthma should have no problems coping with high altitudes provided that they ascend slowly and recognise and accept their limitations, adjusting their medicine if need be.

However, it is also true that asthmatics are more likely to be affected by altitude sickness and climbing can be a very strenuous exercise which may also trigger exercise-induced asthma.

In addition, the conditions where high altitudes exist are often dry and cold, which can further exacerbate and trigger asthma.

In such freezing conditions, pressurised inhalers may not work properly and should be warmed in the hands before use.

However, some people whose asthma is triggered by house-dust mites may find that their asthma improves, as the house-dust mite cannot survive at altitudes higher than 'the snow line'.

Whenever an asthmatic is planning on travelling to a high altitude location they should first discuss this with their doctor in plenty of time to work out a personal asthma action plan for the trip.

This might involve increasing preventer treatment for several weeks before the trip to give the airways extra protection, or measuring peak flow while away to determine how altitude is affecting the lung function.

Simple precautions should also be taken such as ensuring they have sufficient supplies of medication should there be a problem.

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