Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion AMS at 10,000 feet

The root cause of altitude illnesses is reduction in barometric pressure AND the bodies responses and malresponses to it. The loss of "driving pressure" limits the availability of oxygen. And yes, divers who have been low have rules about when they can fly home because commercial airliners cabin pressure is , guess what,the equivalent of 8000 ft. Too rapid a change in pressure of either O or N can cause various forms of barotrauma