acute mountain sickness

noun

: altitude sickness that is experienced usually within several hours to one day of ascending above 8000 to 10,000 feet (about 2500 to 3000 meters) and that is marked by headache, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, insomnia, dizziness, and fatigue, and may lead to serious complications including severe edema of the brain or lungs

—abbreviation AMS

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

And in 2015, a 14-year-old called Warren Asiyo died from acute mountain sickness while on a church trip. —Kang-chun Cheng, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2022

Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for the family, says a Navy neurologist said that Lt. Alkonis had suffered acute mountain sickness. —The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 Jan. 2023

His symptoms — paleness and a loss of consciousness — align with those of acute mountain sickness, which can affect people at altitudes above 8,000 feet, according to information published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. —Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2022

His symptoms - paleness and a loss of consciousness - align with those of acute mountain sickness, which can affect people at altitudes above 8,000 feet, according to information published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. —Andrew Jeong, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Aug. 2022

The mild version is acute mountain sickness (AMS), which mostly just manifests as feeling like crap. —Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 19 May 2021

Most had ankle or knee injuries or acute mountain sickness. —Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2021

Sure enough, the trekkers with the biggest lungs, the biggest spleens, and the biggest reduction in heart rate during a breath-hold were the least likely to develop symptoms of acute mountain sickness. —Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 27 Feb. 2020

Guzzle water: Drinking plenty of H2O prevents dehydration, which has symptoms similar to those of acute mountain sickness. —National Geographic, 5 Oct. 2019

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Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

acute mountain sickness

noun

: altitude sickness that is experienced usually within several hours to one day of ascending above 8000 to 10,000 feet (about 2500 to 3000 meters) and that is marked by headache, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, insomnia, dizziness, and fatigue

Note: Acute mountain sickness can lead to serious complications including severe edema of the brain or lungs.

… acute mountain sickness … is common in travelers who ascend rapidly to altitudes above 8,000 feet.

—Erick A. Weiss, Rock & Ice Magazine

—abbreviation AMS