About HACE

It is characterized by increasing headache and vomiting, staggering gait, altered consciousness and other neurological signs. It is thought to be the progression of AMS. The condition develops more rapidly in the night in someone with AMS, probably because of further decrease in ventilation during the night. This explains the common belief in our people that somebody with a bad headache should not go to sleep. This is true but what is equally important is that they should not remain in the same place either. This fact highlights the importance of keeping a high index of suspicion and making decisions about descent in the day and not waiting for the night or the next morning. The single most important test to detect HACE in somebody with AMS is the tandemgait test where a person walks straight on a line in a hill to toe fashion.If he falls beyond the line, it is strongly suggestive of HACE. The person becomes comatose soon thereafter. It is invariably fatal unless interfered with.