slower heart rate and may increase arrhythmia
susceptibility. It is recommended that medication that
decreases the heart rate should be administered with
caution during and after long-duration spaceflight (D’Aunno
2003).
Highly sensitive and selective cardiovascular screening
before flight is the most effective method of reducing the
risk of a cardiac event in space. Current studies support
adding electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) and
highly selective C-(capsular) reactive protein (hsCRP) for
diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) in current and
future candidates for space missions. The recommended
initial astronaut selection and long-duration mission
assignment screening algorithms use EBCT-derived calcium
scores and serum hsCRP levels to screen for CAD and predict
individual cardiac risk. The proposed screening methods
with the latest diagnostic capabilities attempt to improve on
the current selection and retention standards, and also
fulfill the operational space medicine goal of preventing the
occurrence of cardiovascular illness or impaired
performance during spaceflight (Hamilton 2006).
Research has shown that the immune system is less
efficient during spaceflight. Miniature and semi-automated
diagnostic systems to perform a set of biological and
immunological tests aboard spacecrafts will allow the study of the causes of space-related
immune deficiency and the development of countermeasures to maintain an optimal immune
function and prevent infectious diseases during space missions. By monitoring the astronaut’s
immune responses on one side, and their environment on the other side, new set of diagnostic
tools will fill our knowledge gap and decrease one of the risks of space missions. In addition, the
development of a micro-flow cytometer (cell counter) with the characteristics needed for
spaceflight (low power consumption, small footprint) will have great impact on point-of-care
diagnostics and medical facilities in remote areas and resource-poor countries and in situ
environmental monitoring and control. Similarly, the automation and miniaturization of DNA-
based analytical tests will be greatly beneficial to medical care on Earth.
Three independent subject groups that included balance impaired patients, normal subjects
before and after 30 minutes of 40% bodyweight unloaded treadmill walking, and astronauts
before and after long-duration spaceflight were tested to determine body load-sensing and
vestibular(inner ear canals) sensing influences on head movement control during treadmill
walking after long-duration spaceflight. Data collected show that exposure to unloaded walking
caused a significant increase in head pitch movements in normal subjects, whereas the head
pitch movements of impaired patients were significantly decreased. This is the first evidence of
ISS020E040433 – Nicole Stott performs
routine tasks aboard the International Space
Station while ECG (using the HRF Holter
Monitor 2) and continuous blood pressure
data (using the ESA Cardiopres) are
recorded for the Integrated Cardiovascular
experiment. Image courtesy of NASA.