Medical Exam Requirements

MEDICAL EXAM OVERVIEW

The ACT site is located at 5200 m in a remote location.  Working at high altitude requires medical clearance from a doctor.  The MMA Memo No .162 provides more information about medical and physiological considerations for working at a high altitude site.

  • All ACT team members required to work on the site must consult their physicians to verify there are no medical conditions that make it inadvisable to work at high altitude.
  • ACT or the designated sponsoring institution shall pay for the medical exam.
  • It is each individual's responsibility to have the required medical exams performed before arrival to Chile. Everyone should consult their doctor annually.

Medical Protocols for Working in High Altitude

  • ACT follows the ACHS (Asociación Chilena de Seguridad) norm for the medical examination
  • Physical Exam Battery
    • Medical checkup (Including Body Mass Index)
    • Electrocardiogram without stress condition
    • Electrocardiogram under stress conditions (if requested)
    • Hemoglobin
    • Creatinin
    • Glicemia (Glucose)
    • PA chest X-ray (if requested)
    • Basal Spirometry

Absolute Contraindications

According to ACHS, the following conditions are qualified as absolute contraindications for altitude exposure:

  • Pregnancy
  • Kidney transplants or kidney failure (moderate or severe)
  • Record of heart failure • Record of vascular encephalic failure
  • Epilepsy with convulsions
  • Insulin dependent diabetes (when locations of the work is an isolated place)

Relative Contraindications

Relative contraindications are temporary conditions, which are modifiable on a short or medium term (6 months) through control of the pathology or risk factor. Once the following are modified, ascent will be authorized:

  • Any chronic unbalanced pathology
  • Body mass index of greater than or equal to 35 (weight in kilograms/height squared in meters)
  • Moderate or severe cholesterol levels LDL/HDL>3.5 or triglycerides > 500 mg/dl
  • Hemoglobin over 18.7 gr/dl in men, and over 18 gr/dl in women
  • Severe anemia with hemoglobin less than 8 grams
  • Hyptertension with diastolic pressure <90 mm hg