Medical monitoring during the NASA Artificial Gravity-Bed Rest Pilot Study.

The NASA artificial gravity-bed rest pilot study (AGPS) was designed to investigate the efficacy of daily exposure to a +Gz acceleration gradient for counteracting the physiologic decrements induced by prolonged bed rest. Test subjects were continuously monitored by a physician for signs and symptoms of pre-syncope, motion sickness, and arrhythmias while on the centrifuge. In this article, we have summarized the medical monitoring observations that were made during the AGPS and included an assessment of the relative usefulness of the information provided by the various monitoring tools in making a decision to terminate a centrifuge spin.

The first year post-heart transplantation: use of immunosuppressive drugs and early complications.

A large number of heart transplants are performed annually in different transplant centers in the United States. This is partly because of the improved survival of patients who undergo cardiac transplantation, thus making it a more viable option in the management of end-stage heart failure. The survival benefit after heart transplantation is a result of newer immunosuppressive drug regimens and a better understanding of their effects and interactions.

Medical qualification of a commercial spaceflight participant: not your average astronaut.

Background: Candidates for commercial spaceflight may be older than the typical astronaut and more likely to have medical problems that place them at risk during flight. Since the effects of microgravity on many medical conditions are unknown, physicians have little guidance when evaluating and certifying commercial spaceflight participants. This dynamic new era in space exploration may provide important data for evaluating medical conditions, creating appropriate medical standards, and optimizing treatment alternatives for long-duration spaceflight.