William J. Rowe
M.D. FBIS FACN, Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society, Former Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical U. of Ohio at Toledo, 1485 Bremerton La., Keswick, Virginia, 22947, USA
BACKGROUND
In 2002, the author presented and subsequently published that with space flight endothelial dysfunction; there is the potential for congestive heart failure despite invariable dehydration. There is decreased thirst, inappropriate diuresis, atrophy of water storage sites in skeletal muscles and reduced plasma volume; this may be triggered by endothelial intercellular gaps with inflammation in post -capillary venules. These leaks may be responsible for an invariable 10% loss of plasma volume in microgravity. Furthermore, the invariable significant reductions of the serum magnesium (p<0.0001) in large groups of astronauts and cosmonauts, despite very poor serum sensitivity, along with catecholamine elevations to levels twice those in the supine position on Earth with ischemia and multiple vicious cycles, are conducive to further endothelial injuries and in turn, to catecholamine cardiomyopathy ( acute temporary heart failure.)
SYNDROME
During his lunar last 20 minutes, Neil Armstrong notified Houston twice at 4 minute intervals that he was “short of breath” at 111 hours and 32 minutes and “still short of breath” at 111: 36. This symptom occurred prior to the potential confounder of inhalation of highly toxic iron-laden dust, brought into the habitat on space suits. Whereas his heart rate on the moon was 130-160/ minute, just prior to splashdown in the Pacific, after his 3 day journey back to Earth, his heart rate was down to 61. The explanation for this correction of tachycardia, could only be that by quenching his severe thirst, the very high adrenaline levels were reduced because of expansion of the left ventricle by replenished plasma volume with in turn reduction in the gradient; this could have been precipitated by protrusion of the septum into the left ventricle as postulated by Merli et al.
CONCLUSION
Neil Armstrong Space Syndrome: Armstrong developed severe shortness of breath and very rapid heart rate on the moon BEFORE inhalation of toxic iron-laden dust, brought into the habitat on the space suit.
1. SEVERE DYSPNEA, manifested by Armstrong’s notifying Houston twice during a 4 minute interval that he was short of breath, consistent with acute congestive heart failure.
2. SEVERE THIRST; with microgravity, there is invariably decreased thirst, but in Armstrong’s case, despite the 3 day trip back to Earth in microgravity, he apparently quenched his severe thirst.
3. SEVERE TACHYCARDIA CORRECTED BY FLUID REPLENISHMENT; with decreased plasma volume and in turn increased adrenaline with tachycardia, restoring his plasma volume, would in turn, markedly reduce a high heart rate.
Keywords: Neil Armstrong, dyspnea, tachycardia