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Orthostatic heart rate responses after prolonged space flights

Clinical Autonomic Research volume 21, pages 121–124 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Orthostatic tachycardia (POTS) can occur after space flights. We determined orthostatic heart rate responses in 18 cosmonauts before and 3–5 days after long-term space missions. Cosmonauts undergoing a cardiovascular training program in space experienced only moderate POTS after their return to earth. Cardiovascular countermeasures may have attenuated POTS. Another possible interpretation is that cardiovascular deconditioning is not sufficient to elicit full blown POTS in the absence of additional genetic or environmental factors.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants of the Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The German Space Agency (DLR) grants 50WB0317, 50WB0617, and 50WB0917 supported the study. The study was performed at the Institute of Biomedical Problems, Moscow, Russia.

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The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany

    Jens Tank & Jens Jordan

  2. Institute of Biomedical Problems, Moscow, Russia

    Roman M. Baevsky, Irina I. Funtova & Irina N. Slepchenkova

  3. Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Autonomic Dysfunction Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA

    André Diedrich

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  1. Jens Tank
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  2. Roman M. Baevsky
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  3. Irina I. Funtova
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  4. André Diedrich
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  5. Irina N. Slepchenkova
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  6. Jens Jordan
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Correspondence to Jens Tank.

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Tank, J., Baevsky, R.M., Funtova, I.I. et al. Orthostatic heart rate responses after prolonged space flights. Clin Auton Res 21, 121–124 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-010-0106-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-010-0106-2

Keywords

  • Orthostatic tachycardia
  • Space flight
  • Cardiovascular deconditioning