A Case Report of a High-Altitude Acute Pulmonary Embolism (HA-PE): A Catastrophic Masquerader of High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)

Pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening emergency and, if not identified and treated, can cause catastrophic consequences. The most common cause of pulmonary embolism is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). There are established criteria to diagnose pulmonary embolism. One of the rare causes of pulmonary embolism is exposure to high altitude (HA). We present a case of a 51-year-old male without any co-morbidities, who, after traveling to an HA destination, developed acute onset dyspnea and was labeled as a case of HA pulmonary edema (HAPE). Further investigations in our hospital revealed a massive pulmonary embolism. Post thrombolysis, the patient was comfortable. After 48 hours, the patient started to walk at a normal pace without any symptoms and was discharged after seven days. This case report emphasizes the importance of keeping rare possibilities, such as pulmonary embolism, in such rare scenarios.