Definitions and consensus recommendations on critical care medicine at altitude from the Expert Committee on Critical Care Medicine at altitude of the Pan-American and Iberian Federation of Critical Care Medicine and Intensive Care

Abstract

The Expert Committee on Critical Care Medicine at Altitude of the Pan American and Iberian Federation of Critical Care Medicine and Intensive Care detected a lack of terms defining this critical care medicine, as well as a lack of standardization in the approach to these patients. These shortcomings can lead to errors in management, for example, in critically ill patients at risk of death who require oxygen therapy, whether invasive or non-invasively.

The objective of the Expert Committee was to develop an international consensus that would standardize terminology and establish key definitions and recommendations for the care of critically ill patients at altitude. This document includes five important definitions, four recommendations related to the management of acute respiratory failure at altitude, and a series of considerations for future research. It also establishes specific criteria that differentiate it from the traditional approach used at sea level.