Fluid Loading Solutions And Plasma Volume Astro Ade And Salt Tablets With Water

Fluid loading with salt and water is a countermeasure used after space flight to restore body fluids. However, gastrointestinal side effects have been frequently reported in persons taking similar quantities of salt and water in ground-based studies. The effectiveness of the Shuttle fluid-loading countermeasure (8 gms salt, 0.97 liters of water) was compared to Astro-ade (an isotonic electrolyte solution), to maintain plasma volume (PV) during 4.5 hrs of resting fluid restriction. Three groups of healthy men (n=6) were studied: a Control Group (no drinking), an Astro-ade Group, and a Salt Tablet Group. Changes in PV after drinking were calculated from hematocrit and hemoglobin values. Both the Salt Tablet and Astro-ade Groups maintained PV at 2-3 hours after ingestion compared to the Control Group, which had a 6 percent decline. Side effects (thirst, stomach cramping, and diarrhea) were noted in at least one subject in both the Astro-ade and Salt Tablet Groups. Nausea and vomiting were reported in one subject in the Salt Tablet Group. It was concluded that Astro-ade may be offered as an alternate fluid-loading countermeasure but further work is needed to develop a solution that is more palatable and has fewer side effects. Fortney, Suzanne M. and Seinmann, Laura and Young, Joan A. and Hoskin, Cherylynn N. and Barrows, Linda H. Johnson Space Center ...

Deconditioning is an integrated physiological response of the body to a reduction in metabolic rate, that is, to a reduction in energy use or in exercise level. Deconditioning and Reconditioning presents selected background information on the many aspects of ground-based and in-flight physiological research and applications. This multi-auth

Encompassing all occupants of aircraft and spacecraft—passengers and crew, military and civilian—Fundamentals of Aerospace Medicine, 5th Edition, addresses all medical and public health issues involved in this unique medical specialty. Comprehensive coverage includes everything from human physiology under flight conditions to the impact of the aviation industry on public health, from an increasingly mobile global populace to numerous clinical specialty considerations, including a variety of common diseases and risks emanating from the aerospace environment. This text is an invaluable reference for all students and practitioners who engage in aeromedical clinical practice, engineering, education, research, mission planning, population health, and operational support.