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Vasovagal Syncope pp 309–317Cite as

Orthostatic Intolerance and Vasovagal Syncope After Spaceflight

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Abstract

Postflight orthostatic intolerance is commonly observed in astronauts after their return to Earth. It is defined as the development of symptomatic intolerance to upright posture after flight, with concomitant tachycardia and progressive hypotension. With sustained upright posture, progression to frank vasovagal syncope is possible, though rare. This phenomenon is a consequence of several physiologic and autonomic adaptations that occur during spaceflight, including loss of plasma volume, muscle mass, cardiac atrophy, loss of vasoconstrictor function, vestibular dysfunction, and alterations in autonomic function. A variety of in-flight and postflight countermeasures have been developed to counteract these neurophysiologic consequences of spaceflight.

Research Funding

Supported in part by NASA grants NAS 9–19483, NAS 9–19429, and by NIH grants M01 RR00095, 5P01 HL56693, 1U01NS33460, 1U01HL53206NIH.

Conflicts of Interest

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, AA3228 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN, USA

    André Diedrich MD, PhD

  2. Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, AA3228 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN, USA

    Kyle Timothy Mandsager MD

  3. Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA

    David Robertson MD

  4. Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA

    David Robertson MD

Authors
  1. André Diedrich MD, PhD
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  2. Kyle Timothy Mandsager MD
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  3. David Robertson MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to André Diedrich MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Cardiology, Ospedale Privato Quisisana, Ferrara, Italy

    Paolo Alboni

  2. Department of Medicine - BIOMETRA, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Raffaello Furlan

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Diedrich, A., Mandsager, K.T., Robertson, D. (2015). Orthostatic Intolerance and Vasovagal Syncope After Spaceflight. In: Alboni, P., Furlan, R. (eds) Vasovagal Syncope. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09102-0_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09102-0_26

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