What?
The man from Jalandhar just 42 years of age suffered a heart attack on his way to Pissu top, which is 11,000 ft from the sea level. He would have joined the list of pilgrims whom have died due to a sudden heart ailment during yatra, if it wasn't for the response team which took him immediately to a base camp in Phalgam (19 kilometers away), and had an emergency thromboplasty done.
How?
Lack of acclimation is said to be the reason for his sudden MI. Acclimation is the process of adapting to changes in the environment, i.e ascending slowly, and giving the body time to adjust etc...
Why?
Sudden exposure to high altitude can affect the body by decreasing oxygen in the blood (hypoxia). It also increases workload of heart and lungs, also the pulmonary arterial pressure.
This could prove fatal for someone with an existing cardiac illness, or lung problem.
The supreme court in 2012 has identified, that improper clothing, trekking on an empty stomach, bathing in cold water and lack of acclimatization as the causes for deaths in pilgrims.
And so
It is important to get a medical certification and follow certain protocols to protect yourself during travels to high altitude (>2500m), especially if you have an existing cardiac and pulmonary pathology.
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