from the field – Firsthand accounts, clinical insights and updates from the mountain.
“I Can’t Do Altitude Anymore…”
By Jeremy windsor on Nov 8, 2024
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the commonest cause of an irregular heart beat. Said like that, it sounds like little more than an inconvenience. Unfortunately that’s far from the case. As we saw in a previous post it can have a devastating effect upon someone’s health. In some cases it makes it almost impossible to live an active life and in the long term, significantly increases the risk of having a life threatening stroke. In this post I talk to Brett Abikhair who was forced to abandon his attempt on Lenin Peak (7134m) after his AF returned…
Not A Good Idea?
by jeremy windsor on Oct 11, 2024
Earlier this year a group of health care professionals were invited to Kyrgyzstan by the Slava Topol Project. Our aim was to see whether it was possible to set up a coordinated rescue service on Lenin Peak (7134m). Along the way we met some fascinating people who generously shared their stories. Here’s Hermann Sowade who surprised many of us by reaching the summit…
PSAR on Pik Lenin
BY JEREMY WINDSOR on Apr 5, 2024
A new initiative has just been launched to support the formation of a preventative safety and rescue (PSAR) system on Lenin Peak (7,134m). Situated on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, “Pik Lenin” is the highest mountain in the Trans Alay range of central Asia. Here’s some background from the organisers….
Medicine at Extreme Altitude
By NATASHA BROOK ON OCT 25, 2025
Following the tragic death of a respected guide in 2022, the Slava Topol Project (STP) was established to bring structured medical care, rescue capability, and preventative safety to Lenin Peak (7134m) in Kyrgyzstan. Tasha Brook offers a firsthand look at the challenging work of running high-altitude clinics, treating everything from minor blisters to life-threatening High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), and the drive to build a sustainable safety culture in one of the world’s most demanding environments.
Melatonin and the mountains
by jeremy windsor on june 27, 2025
Next week I’ll be returning to Lenin Peak as a member of the Slava Topol Project’s PSAR team. Whilst we’re there we’ll be providing medical care to all those on the mountain. In addition, we’ll also be collecting data for a series of research projects. Since my first visit in 2024 I’ve written about some of the people I’ve met along the way – including Hermann, Bret and Yasmin. In this post I’m going to look at a treatment for insomnia that has been widely used on the mountain and try to answer the all important question, “Does it work?”
Landscapes And Glaciers…
BY JEREMY WINDSOR on sept 20, 2024
Earlier this year a small group of doctors and nurses headed out to Kyrgyzstan in order to visit Lenin Peak. They had been invited by the Slava Topol Project to help create a series of medical posts that are planned to open in 2025. Here’s Yasmin Down to tell us about her experience…
