Orthostatic hypotension of prolonged weightlessness:  clinical  models.
Orthostatic intolerance on return from space is a widely known consequence of space travel.  Development of countermeasures against this problem is a major priority of the field of space physiology and medicine.  The bedrest model is widely used in the investigation of this phenomenon, and has provided important data, but questions remain.  In this article, we suggest that the disorders that produce chronic orthostatic hypotension have significant potential as models of microgravity-induced orthostatic intolerance.  Understanding the pathophysiology of these syndromes may be useful to those involved in improving the operational aspects of manned space flight; four such syndromes and their possible relevance to space flight are described.
Robertson
D
D
Center for Space Physiology and Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2195.
Biaggioni
I
I
Mosqueda-Garcia
R
R
Robertson
R M
RM
D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000503:physiopathology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D012791:Shy-Drager Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013026:Space Flight; D014893:Weightlessness
D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D009638:Norepinephrine