If you are coming to Nepal to trek in the next few weeks, and you plan to, or have thought about taking diamox, please consider helping this study.
First, check the email to the right from the study team from Utah University (note that it says Everest Region only). Find out more about diamox here and here. Then read a little more from Dr Pranav Koirala who is a specialist in High Altitude Medicine who’s part of the study team:
Diamox is being used as prophylactic in this study. We are trying to find out which dose is better [the current 125mg or an even smaller dose]. This study does not place participants at any increased risk.People who are already planning on taking diamox or who just want to take the drugs to participate in this study both would be welcome. Since this is not drug vs placebo (this is a normal dose of the drug vs smaller dose of the drug) all the participants will be taking diamox but in different doses. Even we will not know which is which to prevent biases. The pills that we will give are identical but coded. Participants will have to keep track of their symptoms by filling out very small and simple form every evening and give it back to us at the end of their trip.
I am sure people have a lot of confusion regarding Diamox. Just a few years ago a 750 mg dose was the standard! Imagine the discomfort people had to go through until someone came along and did a research for 500mg and 250mg, and now 125mg is the standard prophylaxis. We are trying to look if an even smaller dose is as effective.This study has been running for a year now. We need 25 more subjects this year to complete the study.
Please fill the form if you are interested in taking part.
