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Cardiac output (Q), heart rate (HR), blood pressure, and oxygen consumption (VO2) were measured repeatedly both at rest and at two levels of exercise in six subjects during microgravity exposure. Exercise was at 30 and 60% of the workload producing the individual's maximal VO2 in 1 G. Three of the subjects were on a 9-day flight, Spacelab Life Sciences-1, and three were on a 15-day flight, Spacelab Life Sciences-2. We found no temporal differences during the flights. Thus we have combined all microgravity measurements to compare in-flight values with erect or supine control values. At rest, Q in flight was 126% of Q erect (P < 0.01) but was not different from Q supine, and HR in flight was 81% of HR erect (P < 0.01) and 91% of HR supine (P < 0.05). Thus resting stroke volume (SV) in flight was 155% of SV erect (P < 0.01) and 109% SV supine (P < 0.05). Resting mean arterial blood pressure and diastolic pressure were lower in flight than erect (P < 0.05). Exercise values were considered as functions of VO2. The increase in Q with VO2 in flight was less than that at 1 G (slope 3.5 vs. 6.1 x min-1.l-1.min-1). SV in flight fell with increasing VO2, whereas SV erect rose and SV supine remained constant. The blood pressure response to exercise was not different in flight from erect or supine. We conclude that true microgravity causes a cardiovascular response different from that seen during any of its putative simulations.

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There is ample evidence that posture affects many cardiorespiratory variables, but the extent to which secondary reflex mechanisms complement or oppose the primary gravity effect is not clear. We have addressed ourselves to this problem by studying five normal volunteers, passively tilted from the supine to the upright position in 15 degrees increments, in random sequence, determinging cardiac output (Q), heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), minute and alveolar ventilation (VE and VA), functional residual capacity (FRC), and arterial-end-tidal PCO2 pressure difference. In each position, four to five measurements were obtained by noninvasive techniques. Changes in Q and in FRC were linearly related to the sine of the tilt angle, indicating that reflexes were either absent or that their net effect was proportional to the effects of gravity; this was clearly not the case for other variables (HR, SV, VE, VA) in which it was possible to demonstrate threshold values for the appearance of secondary changes.