Résumé
In this work, the mountain environment will be described in detail, with its various physical constraints and the meteorological phenomena that contribute to create this specific environment. The organisation of mountain rescue services and the means of analysing and contacting rescue teams in the event of an accident will be described and clarified. The common and pharmaceutical essentials that every mountaineer should carry with them in order to evolve in the mountain environment and deal with different situations will be explained, as will the three basic life support such as the recovery position, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the Heimlich’s manoeuvre. Various pathologies will be covered, along with their therapeutic and preventive approaches. This will include traumatology, with injuries to the upper and lower limbs, as well as polytrauma. When progressing in a mountain environment, hypoxia and cold are major physiological constraints. Therefore one might experience, pathologies such as acute mountain sickness and its complications, as well as hypothermia and frostbite. In addition, various other pathologies can occur, such as actinic erythema, sunstroke or hyperthermic heatstroke. Finally, intoxications linked to the consumption of fungal species found in the Alps will be discussed, along with the various syndromes caused, such as phalloid, orellanian and resinoid syndromes.