Wilderness Medicine Podcast December 2017 - Wilderness & Environmental Medicine Live
Dec 2, 2017
George Rodway is an influential figure in mountain medicine, serving as the president of the Medical Commission of the UIAA. JJ Agassi, a pioneer in Italian mountain medicine, shares insights from his extensive outdoor experiences. Aaron Reilly discusses hydration issues in ultramarathons, emphasizing the dangers of exercise-associated hyponatremia. The conversation also touches on the ethics of drug use in mountaineering and the implications it has for safety, alongside an introduction to helicopter search and rescue training essentials.
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Altitude Drugs Enhance Performance
- Drugs like acetazolamide and dexamethasone treat altitude illness but may also enhance performance by allowing faster, higher ascents.
- Supplemental oxygen is recognized as a performance-enhancing drug, improving speed, warmth, and cognition at extreme altitudes.
UIAA Differentiates Competition vs Recreational Climbing
- The UIAA differentiates drug use in competition climbing regulated by WADA from recreational climbing where drug policing is minimal.
- Mountaineers have freedom to make their own drug use decisions but must live with consequences.
Drug Use Rumors in Pro Alpinism
- Some professional alpinists face rumors of drug use to enhance performance on extreme climbs.
- No formal drug testing exists in remote big mountain expeditions, so honesty is relied upon amid controversies.