The factors that make Everest the dead end of the climbers

With harsh natural conditions, dangerous terrain and deadly altitudes, Mount Everest fully converges elements that threaten to rob the lives of any climber.

In 2014, Mount Everest expeditions were almost completely stopped after the death of 16 Nepalese workers during a snowslide. In April 2015, an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude and landslides caused nearly 8,500 deaths in Nepal, including 19 deaths at Everest Base Camp.

In April 2016, four dead, two missing climbers were unable to find the body, one worker died while repairing a road near the top of the mountain and three other climbers died of related illnesses. to the height.

In addition to erratic weather and rugged terrain near the top of the mountain, what makes Everest dangerous is the effect of elevation on the human body, according to scientists.

At 8,848m, Everest is the highest peak in the world in terms of altitude. Therefore, climbers face the height of the mountain before successfully conquering Mount Everest.

Everest is the highest peak in the world in terms of altitude.(Photo: Wikipedia).

Altitude sickness is also known as acute mountain sickness . This disease occurs when people reach an altitude of about 2,440m. Symptoms include nausea, headache, dizziness and fatigue. Altitude becomes more serious when people reach a height of 3,600m with symptoms such as difficulty moving, difficulty breathing, palpitations, coughing up pink fluid, foaming of the mouth, hallucinations and loss conscious, according to the British Health Authority.

Oxygen deficiency is the cause of altitude sickness. Air pressure drops at high altitudes, causing oxygen molecules to separate from each other, said Dr. Eric Weiss, a professor of emergency medicine at Stanford University, USA. At Everest Base Camp at 5,400m altitude, oxygen concentration is about 50% compared to above sea level. At Mount Everest, the concentration of oxygen drops to only about 33%.

"A significant reduction in air pressure and oxygen is very harmful to the brain and body," Live Science quoted Weiss.

If mild altitude sickness occurs, patients should not climb higher within 24 - 48 hours. In case the symptoms do not diminish or even become worse, the patient should go down to a height of 500m.Severe altitude sickness requires immediate elevation and requires medical intervention.

High altitude sickness can lead to brain and lung edema. These symptoms often appear at the same time, when the body tries to provide extra oxygen to vital body organs. Fluid build up in the brain can lead to loss of consciousness and ability to coordinate movement, causing coma and death. The accumulation of fluid in the lungs can cause breathing and death through the same process as drowning.

According to a scientific report published in the 2008 British Journal of Medicine (BMJ), fatigue and long time in Everest climbing trips are the cause of death. Researchers said that neurotic dysfunction associated with altitude sickness could also cause fatal falls.

When suffering from altitude sickness, the most effective treatment is to lower the height of the patient. However, climbing down the slope requires many skills besides other difficulties such as exhaustion, dehydration and lack of oxygen. Medication also helps prevent and treat partial accumulation of water in the brain, but they are not effective with fluid accumulation in the lungs.