Principles of clinical medicine for spaceflight: The NASA twin study and further evidence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18041/2665-427X/ijeph.1.10641Keywords:
Astronauts, cardiovascular system, genetics, telomeres, microbiome, skin, space diseases, physiological changes, muscle changesAbstract
Background: A vision of space medicine as applied to deep space travel is challenging. As space missions increase in duration in space and extend beyond Earth's orbit, the risks involved in working in these extreme and isolated conditions will also increase. The effects suffered by astronauts in space can be related to two variables: radiation and microgravity. The health hazards range from increased exposure to radiation, decreased body mass, telomere lengthening, genome instability, carotid artery distension, increased intima-media thickness, and changes in the skin microbiome. If an astronaut overcomes a flight in microgravity for 3 to 6 months, he will develop physiological adaptations that lead to orthostatic intolerance. All of the above is necessary to interpret and recognize that zero gravity and a prolonged trip can cause problems in the body of an astronaut yet to be identified.
Objective: To demonstrate the conditions of astronauts in low orbit described by scientific studies in aerospace medicine.
Methods: A literature review was performed, and 58 articles were found from NASA, Pubmed, and Nature Reviews databases. The open-access Mendeley program was used to manage and organize information.
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