Dhurandhar Set Health Scare Explained: Why Akshaye Khanna’s Oxygen Levels Dropped in Ladakh

Akshaye

Khanna’s latest film Dhurandhar, is breaking all box office records, and his acting has particularly been praised for his role of Rehman Dakait in the movie. His introduction song, FA9LA, is topping charts, being called a banger. However, according to the choreographer of the song, its shooting led to a harrowing experience for the 50-year-old actor. Vijay Ganguly said Akshaye’s oxygen level dropped during the dance sequence of FA9LA, which was shot at Ladakh, at a height of around 3,500 m or 11,480 feet, as reported by The Times of India. While it seems the elevation, along with reduced air pressure and a physically intense performance, put a lot of pressure on his lungs, high altitudes can be distressing, causing sickness.

What is altitude sickness?

Being breathless at higher elevations leads to a medical condition called altitude sickness. The higher up you go, the thinner the atmosphere gets, which means breathing in the same amount of air gets you less oxygen than at a lower altitude. Doctors say altitude sickness happens when your body has trouble adjusting to the difference in how much oxygen you are getting with each breath. According to experts, altitude sickness can refer to three distinct conditions:

Acute mountain sickness or AMS

It is the mildest and most common form of altitude sickness.

High altitude pulmonary edema or HAPE

It happens when altitude sickness affects your lungs, causing them to fill with fluid. It is a medical emergency that needs immediate medical attention.

High altitude cerebral edema or HACE

It is the most severe form of the condition, which happens when altitude sickness causes your brain to swell. It is a very dangerous condition that needs emergency care.

What causes altitude sickness?

Doctors say that in high altitudes, your body usually adapts to changes that affect how much oxygen you get with each breath. Without enough time to adapt, altitude sickness happens. The risk factors for altitude sickness often relate to the altitude itself or how you get there.

Higher altitudes

The higher you go, the greater your risk for altitude sickness.

Speed

Getting to a higher altitude quickly can increase your risk of developing altitude sickness.

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol or using certain medications like sedatives increases the chances of developing altitude sickness. Doctors say your physical health is not a risk factor for developing altitude sickness, but altitude sickness makes the symptoms of some existing conditions, like anemia, worse.

Signs and symptoms of altitude sickness

Doctors say altitude sickness happens due to many symptoms, all of which vary depending on the severity. A few of these include:

• Headache – the most common symptom
• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Sleeplessness and insomnia
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Vision changes – due to blood vessel ruptures in your retinas