Risks

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45 Risks found.
1	Accelerated Bone Loss and Fracture Risk
2	Impaired Fracture Healing
3	Injury to Joints and Intervertebral Structures
4	Renal Stone Formation
5	Occurrence of Serious Cardiac Dysrhythmias
6	Diminished Cardiac and Vascular Function
7	Define Acceptable Limits for Contaminants in Air and Water
8	Immune Dysfunction, Allergies and Autoimmunity
9	Interaction of Space flight Factors, Infections and Malignancy
10	Alterations in Microbes and Host Interactions

Risk 6: Diminished Cardiac and Vascular Function

Crosscutting Area : Human Health and Countermeasures

Discipline : Cardiovascular Alterations

Description : Diminished cardiac function, orthostatic or postural hypotension, and the impaired ability to perform strenuous tasks on a planetary surface may occur due to prolonged exposure to hypogravity.

Context / Risk Factors : This risk may be influenced by altered neural and hormonal regulation, flight duration, or gender.

Justification / Rationale : Some, but not all, studies suggest that prolonged exposure to microgravity may lead to reduction of cardiac mass and reduced cardiac function. Carefully controlled inflight studies are required to document this finding and determine the clinical signficance.

Reference Missions :

ISS

Lunar

Mars

Risk Rating

Priority 2

Current Countermeasures

In flight exercise

Projected Countermeasures or Mitigations and Other Deliverables with their CRL/TRL scores

Artificial G exposure
Drugs that affect cardiac mass and function
Improved exercise and conditioning program

Research & Technology Questions

No.	Question	Priority
6a	Does long-duration space flight lead to diminished cardiac function? If so, what mechanisms are involved?	1
6b	Is space flight induced diminished cardiac function reversible?	1
6c	What is the extent of reduction in cardiac function and/or mass associated with long-duration space flight?	1
6d	Can susceptibility to reduced cardiac function be predicted for individual crewmembers?	2
6e	What countermeasures may be effective in mitigating the occurrence of reduced cardiac function or mass?	1
6f	What are the physiological and environmental factors by which space flight decreases orthostatic tolerance?	1
6g	How does duration of space flight affect the severity and time course of orthostatic intolerance, and what are the mechanisms?	2
6h	Is orthostatic intolerance likely to develop on the surface of Mars or the moon?	1
6i	Can space flight induced orthostatic intolerance be predicted for individual crewmembers?	1
6j	What countermeasures can be developed to overcome or prevent orthostatic intolerance?	1
6k	What are the physiological and environmental factors by which space flight decreases aerobic exercise capacity?	1
6l	Is the observed decrease in exercise capacity directly related to duration of space flight?	1
6m	Can the degree of reduced aerobic exercise capacity be predicted for individual crewmembers?	1
6n	What countermeasures can be developed to overcome microgravity-induced reduction in aerobic exercise capacity?	1

Related Risks

Bone Loss

Accelerated Bone Loss and Fracture Risk

Injury to Joints and Intervertebral Structures

Cardiovascular Alterations

Occurrence of Serious Cardiac Dysrhythmias

Environmental Health

Define Acceptable Limits for Contaminants in Air and Water

Skeletal Muscle Alterations

Reduced Muscle Mass, Strength, and Endurance

Increased Susceptibility to Muscle Damage

Clinical Capabilities

Monitoring and Prevention

Major Illness and Trauma

Pharmacology of Space Medicine Delivery

Ambulatory Care

Rehabilitation on Mars

Important References

Blomqvist LD, Lane CG, Wright SJ, Meny GM, Levine BD, Buckey JC, Peshock RM, Weatherall P, Stray-Gundersen J, Gaffney FA, Watenpaugh DE, Arbeille P, and Baisch F. Cardiovascular regulation in microgravity. In: Scientific Results of the German Spacelab Mission D-2: Proceedings of the Norderney Symposium, edited by Sahm PR, Keller MH, and Schiewe B.. Koln, Germany: Wissenschaftliche Projektfuhrung D-2 (c/o Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt), 1994, p. 688-690.

Charles JB, Frey MA, Fritsch-Yelle JM, Fortner GW. Cardiovascular and Cardiorespiratory Function. In Huntoon C, Antipov V, Grigoriev A (editors), Volume III, Book I (humans in Space) Space Biology and Medicine, AIAA, Reston, VA, 1996.

The Neurolab Spacelab Mission: Neuroscience Research in Space: Results from the STS-90 Neurolab Spacelab Mission: Section 4 Blood Pressure Control. pp. 171-205. Buckey J and Homick J (editors). NASA SP-2003-535, 2003.