Is there a dose guide for Dexamethasone?
I am looking at the things that I should have with me when I am climbing higher altitudes. I came across this meds one should always have along: Dexamethasone.
Dexamethasone is used in the treatment of high-altitude cerebral edema, as well as pulmonary edema. It is commonly carried on mountain-climbing expeditions to help climbers deal with altitude sickness.
It is available in the form of Tablets and Injectable. As this may well be a solo expedition, I might have to take the dose on my own. Yes, if there is another team around who have a medic with them, then its obvious that I'll consult him/her for that matter.
Is it always advised to get injected only from a medical professional? I know I can, but should this medicine be self-injected when needed? I have given insulin doses to my father, so I know I can inject, at least subcutaneously.
Is there a definite/solid set of instructions for doing that?
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You asked about dosing. My recommendation is to get a professional to figure out the dosing. If you cannot get a professional, then do not carry this as you are potentially introducing as much risk as you are mitigating.
When carrying a medication such as this for a possible emergency, there are several things I would recommend.
Get a doctor to prescribe it. - This will do the most to ensure you have the correct dosage and minimize adverse affects. I carry several prescription drugs while hiking. In my experience it is usually possible to find a doctor who is willing to prescribe medication "just in case".
Only use it for the person prescribed
Make sure you carry information on the drug in a weatherproof container. Make sure this container an be found by the rescue personnel. They need to know.
If you know you will be at risk, it is reasonable to carry solutions to said risk. However, as with any emergency gear, you must make sure that you are trained to use it, and that you have the right solution. By example, you might need stitches, but unless you know how to suture it is pointless to carry a suture kit.
Never carry gear you don't understand. It will tempt you to use it, putting yourself at greater risk.
One could make an argument that if you know someone is going to die, it is "worth a shot". I would generally recommend against this. As a layman, one is not terribly well qualified to determine that someone is "going to die". In addition, it could complicate treatment if help is on way and arrives in time.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/6669. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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