The doctor spoke about the treatment of astronauts in space

On Monday, April 13, Victoria Kirichenko, a surgeon and a junior researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told interesting facts about the health of astronauts.

According to the expert, a doctor can suspend an astronaut from a flight the day before the launch. The Main Medical Commission of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center has the authority to suspend a crew member for medical reasons at any stage, she said in an interview with the Health Mail.

Any deviation in the state of health can be the cause: the occurrence of acute pathology, exacerbation of a chronic disease, deviations in physiological parameters, analyzes or functional tests, which can critically worsen in flight. However, such cases are rare and extremely rare.

Kirichenko also said that there are a number of conditions that occur during space flights due to altered gravity, physical inactivity, exposure to radiation and other factors. It can be neuroocular syndrome (SANS), characterized by swelling of the optic nerve and visual impairment; demineralization of bones and muscle atrophy; weakening of the immune system; changes in the functioning of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract (GIT). These changes require long-term recovery.

Kirichenko said that in space, many terrestrial diseases occur differently and become more dangerous due to the specific environmental conditions. The situation is also complicated by the difficulty of emergency evacuation to Earth, the limited capabilities of on-board medicine, changes in the effect of drugs and the need for remote consultations with highly specialized specialists.

It is also more difficult to be treated in orbit. In microgravity, changes occur in the pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination) of certain drugs. This is due to the redistribution of fluids, changes in gastrointestinal motility, volume of distribution and enzyme activity.

The specialist told us that the first-aid kits, which astronauts call medical packs, contain the same drugs that people use in everyday life on Earth, but all drugs are adapted to space conditions and are designed for a certain shelf life. There are cardiovascular and antipyretic drugs, antibiotics, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as dressings and diagnostic equipment.

There is a device on the station called K-1. It can be used to assess the state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, measure pulse, blood pressure, take an ECG and promptly transmit the data received to the Mission Control Center.

The crew on the ISS also has an ultrasound machine and a defibrillator for emergencies. But cavity operations in orbit are not carried out and today they do not seem possible.

The doctor said that immediately after landing, the cosmonaut does not go home: in the acute period, he begins to undergo rehabilitation at the Cosmonaut Training Center, and then at a sanatorium. This is necessary for gradual readaptation to earthly conditions: orthostatic intolerance, muscle weakness, vestibular disorders and coordination disorders require controlled medical supervision. At the same time, the duration of rehabilitation is usually comparable to the duration of the flight.

Yura was there: Cosmonautics Day was celebrated in the Kremlin with the stars

The concert was opened by 96-year-old Alexandra Pakhmutova, composer and friend of Yuri Gagarin.

Earlier, on April 12, the Roscosmos state corporation opened the reception of applications for the cosmonaut corps on the Gosuslugi portal. You can apply for participation in the correspondence selection until June 30, 2026.

It is noted that candidates must have Russian citizenship, higher education from the approved list and work experience in the specialty of at least three years. 360.ru . The age of the applicant may not exceed 35 years, and the weight must be from 50 to 90 kg. The future cosmonaut also needs to speak English, Italian, Spanish, German or French. The mandatory requirements include excellent health, high physical endurance and mental stability, IA Regnum reports.

To participate in the competition, you need to submit an application on the portal, undergo a medical examination and send medical documents. After that, candidates who have passed the preliminary examination will be invited to the full-time selection at the Cosmonaut Training Center (CPC).

Alexander Safonov, a professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, announced on the same day that the salary of a novice cosmonaut in Russia is 180 thousand rubles and the amount increases with the accumulation of experience. For example, the salary of a third—class cosmonaut can reach 300 thousand rubles, for a second—class specialist - up to 400 thousand rubles, and for the first class - up to 500 thousand rubles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with the head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Bakanov, on April 12, said that the space industry in Russia feels confident, despite the accumulated problems. Bakanov, in turn, thanked the president for the establishment of Space Week, which included more than 1,000 events involving several tens of millions of people.

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