Acute High Altitude Illness (AHAI) encompasses a spectrum of conditions such as acute mountain sickness (AMS), cerebral edema (HACE) and pulmonary edema (HAPE) that result from lack of oxygen at high altitudes. Hypoxemia (insufficient content of oxygen in the blood) is the main cause of the development of these diseases. Immutable factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and genetic susceptibility, as well as modifiable factors such as an individual's health status, influence the development of AHAI. Risk prediction currently relies on hypoxic stress testing and multifactorial risk scores, but reliable tools suitable for routine clinical use are still lacking. Prevention and treatment include acclimatization, oxygen therapy, and medications such as acetazolamide, dexamethasone, and calcium channel blockers. Individuals show considerable variation in response to hypoxia, emphasizing the need for an individualized approach to prevention and treatment. Future research should develop more accurate predictive models and integrate wearable sensors and biomarkers into personalized interventions.