For 15 years the world’s leading experts in High Altitude Medicine and Physiology have been gathering under the auspices of the International Society for Alpine Medicine (ISMM) for their annual world congress. After Spain, Scotland, Chile, China and Japan it will now be Peru’s turn once again to host this international event.
In the fitting location of Arequipa, Peru’s second largest city, which is situated 2,328 metres (7,636 feet) above sea level, there will be presentations and discussions covering specialised topics in the fields of biology, anthropology and medicine concerned with oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) and other conditions caused by extreme altitudes.
Hermann Brugger, head of the EURAC Institute for Alpine Emergency Medicine and his colleague Giacomo Strapazzon are participating in the conference as special experts, and will be reporting on new aspects of in avalanche rescue. In addition, the two scientists will be leading a workshop at the conference and running a day of practical activities for members of South American emergency medical and mountain rescue teams. These will deal with the recovery and treatment of avalanche accident victims, with a particular focus on the attendant risk of hypothermia and aggravating local circumstances. For example it has recently been reported that there were over 100 deaths in the Peruvian Andes due to a spell of extremely cold weather.

Dates: August 8th – 12th in Arequipa, Peru

Further details from:
Hermann Brugger, phone: +39 0471 055541
Giacomo Strapazzon, phone: +39 0471 055541