chronic mountain sickness

Also known as: Monge’s disease

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

Chronic mountain sickness, also known as Monge disease, is a condition that can affect individuals who have lived at high altitudes for many years. It is characterized by an increased level of hemoglobin in the blood.1

Altitude sickness, or acute mountain sickness, is a reaction to moving to altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) due to a deficiency of oxygen in the body's tissues. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, nausea, and chest pain. While most people acclimatize, severe cases can be fatal if the individual does not return to a lower altitude. Indigenous mountain species have genetic adaptations to high altitudes, unlike humans who acclimatize. However, prolonged acclimatization can sometimes lead to chronic mountain sickness.21

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

human respiratory system
High altitudes
…lose this acclimatization and develop chronic mountain sickness, sometimes called Monge disease, after the Peruvian physician who first described it. This disease is characterized by greater levels of hemoglobin. In Tibet some infants of Han origin never achieve satisfactory acclimatization on ascent to high altitude. A chemodectoma, or benign tumour,…
Read More
…lose this acclimatization and develop chronic mountain sickness, sometimes called Monge disease, after the Peruvian physician who first described it. This disease is characterized by greater levels of hemoglobin. In Tibet some infants of Han origin never achieve satisfactory acclimatization on ascent to high altitude. A chemodectoma, or benign tumour,…
Read More