20th February 2025

A fit and well 19-year-old man goes on a group hiking expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro.

A fit and well 19-year-old man goes on a group hiking expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro. After an initially successful first half of his hike, he develops acute breathlessness with nausea halfway up and cannot continue walking. His travel companions also note that he is acting a little confused. The expedition medic diagnoses him with acute high altitude pulmonary oedema with associated high altitude sickness and cerebral oedema. Which of the following is the least significant risk factor for his presentation?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.