A systematic mapping review of studies reporting the effects of spaceflight on cardiovascular outcomes.
Life Sci Space Res (Amst)Jul 6, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchCardiology
Mattias Neset, Mariia Mielkozorova, Madalina Patron et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review analyzed cardiovascular research related to spaceflight, identifying 855 studies focused on human outcomes in microgravity. The review found that 60.1% of studies reported cardiovascular outcomes, with heart rate being the most common focus. The study highlights the need for further quantitative synthesis to understand cardiovascular changes due to spaceflight.
Key findings
- Humans represented 69.1% of the study populations in cardiovascular research related to spaceflight.
- 60.1% of the studies reported cardiovascular outcomes, making them the most frequently reported.
- Heart rate was the primary outcome in 70 studies, followed by cardiac measurements in 47 studies.
Why it matters
Understanding cardiovascular changes in microgravity is crucial for ensuring astronaut health during long-duration space missions. This research provides a foundation for developing health risk mitigation strategies for future space exploration.