Vascular and Microvascular Dysfunction Induced by Microgravity and Its Analogs in Humans: Mechanisms and Countermeasures.

Weightlessness and physical inactivity have deleterious cardiovascular effects. The space environment and its ground-based models offer conditions to study the cardiovascular effects of physical inactivity in the absence of other vascular risk factors, particularly at the macro- and microcirculatory levels. However, the mechanisms involved in vascular dysfunction and remodeling are not sufficiently studied in the context of weightlessness and its analogs including models of physical inactivity.

Effect of Chinese herbal medicine on vascular functions during 60-day head-down bed rest.

Purpose: Chinese herbal medicine is a promising countermeasure against cardiovascular dysfunction associated with a sedentary lifestyle. We examined the impact of the Chinese herb, Taikong Yangxin, on the micro- and macrovascular dysfunction associated with a 60-day bed rest.

Methods: Fourteen healthy men were randomly divided into two groups: those given herbal supplement, and the control group; the two groups underwent a 60-day bed rest.

Peripheral arterial and venous response to tilt test after a 60-day bedrest with and without countermeasures (ES-IBREP).

Unlabelled: We quantified the impact of 60-day head-down bed rest (HDBR) with countermeasures on arterial and venous response to tilt.

Methods: Twenty-one males: 7 control (Con), 7 resistive vibration exercise (RVE) and 7 Chinese herb (Herb) were assessed. Subjects were identified as finisher (F) or non-finishers (NF) at the post-HDBR 20-min tilt test.

Low-magnitude whole body vibration with resistive exercise as a countermeasure against cardiovascular deconditioning after 60 days of head-down bed rest.

Whole body vibration with resistive exercise is a promising countermeasure against some weightlessness-induced dysfunctions. Our objective was to study whether the combination of low-magnitude whole body vibration with a resistive exercise can prevent the cardiovascular deconditioning induced by a nonstrict 60-day head-down bed rest (Earth Star International Bed Rest Experiment Project). Fourteen healthy men participated in this study.