Lathers CM, Charles JB.

FASEB J. 1993 Feb 23; 7: A666.

NASA/JSC, Houston, TX 77058.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) after even short space flights (SF) affects a significant number of astronauts; pharmacological and other treatments are indicated. Treatment in patients includes increasing intravascular volume with high sodium intake and mineralocorticoids, or increasing vascular resistance through the use of drugs to stimulate alpha or block beta vascular receptors. Earlier treatment used oral sympathomimetic ephedrine hydrochloride alone or with "head-up" bed rest (JAMA 115:2162; 1940). The long-acting adrenocortical steroid desoxycorticosterone preparations with high salt diets were used to expand volume. Fludrocortisone prevented the orthostatic drop in blood pressure (N Eng J Med 261:788; 1959). Combination of the sympathomimetic amine hydroxyamphetamine and a monoamine oxidase inhibitor tranylcypromine (Am J Cardiol 23:838; 1969) has been used, as has indomethacin alone (Lancet 1:1011;1978). Low dose mineralocorticoids used concomitantly with alpha agonists increased vasoconstrictor action (Brit J Clin Pharmacol 8:253;1979). Vernikos et al (J Clin Pharmacol 31:974;1991) established that the combination of fludrocortisone, dextroamphetamine, and atropine exhibited a beneficial effect on OH induced by 7-day 6 degree head-down bed rest (model simulating the weightlessness of SF). Thus, numerous drugs, in combination with mechanical techniques, including lower body negative pressure to elevate transmural pressure, could be studied to treat OH after SF.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Astronauts
• Atropine
• Autonomic Nervous System Diseases
• Bed Rest
• Blood Pressure
• Fludrocortisone
• Humans
• Hypotension, Orthostatic
• Lower Body Negative Pressure
• Mineralocorticoids
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
• Space Flight
• Sympathomimetics
• Vascular Resistance
• Weightlessness
• Weightlessness Simulation
• NASA Center JSC
• NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary
• NASA Discipline Number 00-00
• NASA Discipline Number 14-10
• NASA Program Flight
• NASA Program Space Physiology and Countermeasures

Other ID:

• 95607993

UI: 102212811

From Meeting Abstracts