Abstract
The fluid-regulating systems of the body have been of interest to space medicine researchers since results from the earliest flights indicated significant changes in this area (Berry et al. 1966; Dietlein and Harris 1966; Lutwak et al. 1969). The virtual absence of gravity causes a decrease in posturally induced hydrostatic force in the extremities, which leads to cephalad redistribution of blood. This redistribution is thought to be responsible for most of the spaceflight-induced changes in fluid and electrolyte metabolism. Plasma volume decreases (Johnson 1979) and water and electrolyte balances become negative (Leach 1979) in space travelers. In addition to these clear-cut effects, more complex and subtle changes in renal and circulatory dynamics, endocrine function, body biochemistry, and metabolism occur during spaceflight.
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Leach, C.S., Johnson, P.C. (1989). Effects of Weightlessness on Human Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology. In: Paganelli, C.V., Farhi, L.E. (eds) Physiological Function in Special Environments. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3556-9_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3556-9_11
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