[The features of adaptation and disadaptation of the human cardiovascular system in the space flight conditions].

The work was aimed at analysis and generalization of the hemodynamic data collected over 20 years from 26 cosmonauts flown 8 to 438 days aboard orbital stations Salyut 7 and Mir. The paper presents the results of ultrasonic investigations of the heart, arterial and venous peripheral vessels in different parts of human body, and measurements of leg veins capacity with the use of occlusive plethysmograpy. It was shown that in the resting condition such prime hemodynamic parameters as the pumping function of the heart and blood supply of the brain, and integral parameters, i.e. arterial pressure and heat rate, were best "protected" as they demonstrated stability throughout long exposure in microgravity. In the absence of gravitational stimulation, arterial resistance went down in essentially all vascular regions below the heart level; to put it differently, the anti-gravity distribution of the vascular tone was annulled gradually as unneeded in microgravity. Compared with the data about arteries, venous hemodynamics was found to be particularly sensitive considering the early advent and significance of changes. Venous return slowed down, resistance of the lower body vessels declined and capacity of the leg venous net increased. Functional testing with the lower body negative pressure revealed degradation of the gravity-dependent reactions that became more conspicuous as flight duration extended further. Cardiovascular deconditioning showed itself clearly on return to Earth's gravity by decreased g-tolerance during re-entry and orthostatic instability post flight. These investigations provided objective evidence for multifactorial genesis of orthostatic instability during space flight including blood redistribution, altered tone regulation of leg's venous and arterial vessels and hypovolemia.