Occupational and Environmental Health Practice Exam 2026 – Your Comprehensive All-In-One Guide to Mastering Disease and Injury Prevention!

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a condition that can affect individuals when they ascend to high altitudes. It is characterized by headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. One of the main contributing factors to AMS is hypoxic-induced cerebral vasodilation. This means that when an individual ascends to high altitudes, the decrease in oxygen levels in the air causes the blood vessels in the brain to dilate, leading to increased blood flow and potential swelling. This can result in the symptoms of AMS.

Option A, anaphylactic shock, is a severe allergic reaction and not a mechanism that contributes to AMS. Option C, increased partial pressure of CO2, is also not a contributing factor to AMS as it is more related to respiratory function. Option D, rapid hydration, may help to alleviate symptoms of AMS but it is not a mechanism that contributes to its development.