HighCycle Study: Effect of Acetazolamide on Acute Mountain Sickness in Women Compared to Men

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH · Jul 11, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The HighCycle Study is researching how effective and safe a medication called acetazolamide is for preventing acute mountain sickness (AMS) in women compared to men. AMS can happen when people travel to high altitudes, causing symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and weakness. This study is particularly important because past research hasn’t fully explored how factors like hormones might affect women’s reactions to altitude. The study aims to include healthy men and women aged 18 to 44 who live at lower elevations and have regular menstrual cycles.

If you qualify and choose to participate, you’ll receive acetazolamide to see how well it helps prevent AMS while also monitoring any side effects. It’s important to note that only certain types of women can participate, specifically those who are not using hormonal contraceptives and are not pregnant or nursing. This study hopes to provide valuable information on how both sexes respond to altitude sickness and improve safety for everyone who travels to high places.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Healthy, non-smoking men and women, age 18-44 years, without any disease and need of regular medication (including oral contraceptives).
• • BMI \>18 kg/m2 and \<30 kg/m2
• • Born, raised and currently living at altitudes \<1000 m
• • Written informed consent
• • Premenopausal women with an eumenorrheic cycle
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Other types of contraceptvies (contraceptives (hormonal intrauterine device, vaginal ring, subcutaneous injections or implants, among others)
• • Pregnancy or nursing
• • Anaemic (haemoglobin concentration \<10g/dl)
• • Any altitude trip \<4 weks before the study
• • Allergy to acetazolamide and other sulfonamides