Abstract: The lung is directly affected by weightlessness: the disappearance of weight forces on the lung tissue itself and surrounding tissues, and hydrostatic pressure gradient changes lung shape and the distribution of gas-filled space. However, inhomogeneous ventilation and aeration of alveolar volumes can also be detected in weightlessness. In the transient phase immediately after the onset of weightlessness, the lung as an interface between the environment and the cardiovascular system also compensates for temporary misbalances between right and left cardiac stroke volume. Long-term effects directly associated with weightlessness can also be attributed to deconditioning of respiratory muscles. Effects of other environmental conditions and astronauts’ activities may mask the effects of weightlessness. For example, exercise training as countermeasure will also stabilize or improve lung function.
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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