Mechanisms and clinical translation of high altitudepulmonary edema: current status and future prospects

Abstract

High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a form of life-threatening high altitude idiopathy.This non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema is a serious illness with high risk of morbidity. The mechanisms of HAPEmostly proposed so far in literature include exaggerated hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) and excessively increased capillary pressure, pulmonary capillary leak, disturbed alveolar fluid clearance, and liquid retention and body fluid imbalance. In this review, we described the advances in HAPE mechanisms and in the clinicaltranslation of therapeutics targeting the central links of HAPE pathophysiology. We also provided views on the fu‐ture prospects for the pharmacological management of HAPE, which should inspire high altitude medical research‐ers to find new measures to prevent and treat HAPE.

Keywords

• high altitude pulmonary edema
• mechanism
• clinical translation