The UIAA Medical Commission produces comprehensive recommendation papers, translated into several languages, which act as a valuable resource for climbers and medical staff alike. An emphasis is put on health problems that only occur at high altitude. Among the issues included are acute mountain sickness, nutrition, water disinfection and drug use and misuse in mountaineering.

The recommendations are pertinent particularly for charity and gap year treks, expeditions, challenges and adventure holidays. Many are very well run but there are still too many who offer unsafe ascent profiles guaranteeing illness and some who have little or no mountain medicine training for their leaders. Many people who undertake these trips are mountain naïve and do not know how to access medically-based advice. Every year, the UIAA Medical Commission is aware of unnecessary injuries and deaths often as a result of poor leadership and planning. The advice provided in these documents is ultimately designed to help prevent injury and save lives.

General Advice

Paper 1.

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4 x 4 Health Rules for Mountaineers

Paper 4.

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Nutritional Considerations in Mountaineering

Paper 11.

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The use of Hiking Sticks in the Mountains

Paper 17.

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Injury Classification for Mountaineering and Climbing Sports

Paper 23.

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Alpine Helicopter Rescue Operations

Expedition Planning

Paper 7.

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How to Check the Quality of a Commercially Organized Trek or Expedition

Paper 8.

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Model Contract for Health Care on Trekking and Expeditions for Doctors

High-Altitude Specific

Paper 2.

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AMS, Hape, Hace – Emergency Field Management

Paper 3.

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Portable Hyperbaric Chambers

Paper 15.

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Work in Hypoxic Conditions

Paper 17A.

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Travel at High Altitude

Peak Specific Papers

Denali

Fuji

Aconcagua (Coming Soon)

Disorders & Diseases

Paper 13.

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People With Pre-existing Conditions Going to the Mountains

Paper 16.

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Travel to Altitude With Neurological Disorders

Paper 20.

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Eye Problems in Expeditions

Paper 21.

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Cardiovascular Diseases

Paper 26A.

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Recommendations for Mountaineers, Hillwalkers, Trekkers, and Rock and Ice Climbers With Diabetes (November 2018)

Infectious diseases

Paper 5.

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Traveller’s Diarrhoea

Paper 6.

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Water Disinfection in the Mountains

Paper 18.

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Blood Borne Infections in Climbing

Paper 19.

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Recommendation for Prevention and Control of Legionella Infections

Paper 24.

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Zika Virus

Paper 25.

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Adventure Travel & the Covid-19 Pandemic

Women & Children

Paper 9.

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Children at Altitude

Paper 12.

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Women Going to Altitude (see article November, 2023)

Paper 14.

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Contraception at Altitude

Drugs

Paper 10.

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The Effect of Extremes of Temperature on Drugs

Paper 22A.

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Drug use and Misuse in Mountaineering

Paper 22B.

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Drug use and Misuse in Mountaineering – a UIAA Medcom Consensus Guide for Medical Professionals