Experimental Studies On Alterations Of Arterial Vasoreactivity During Simulated Weightlessness

Exposure to weightlessness / microgravity during space flight may lead to an altered state of cardiovascular function in crewmembers termed "cardiovascular deconditioning", manifested most clearly by their orthostatic intolerance. And the alterations in orthostatic stability can adversely affect performance of physical work of astronauts. Even after several decades of extensive research , the basic mechanism of postflight orthostatic intolerance has not been fully elucidated up to now, and the physiological effect of the countmeasures against orthostatic intolerance is limited. Understanding the nature of postflight orthostatic intolerance and development of new effective and efficient countermeasures against postflight orthostatic intolerance have therefore become the primary emphasis of the space life sciences research effort.