[Results of long-term electrocardiographic examinations of cosmonauts]

This paper is the first summary of regular electrocardiographic examinations of 21 cosmonauts who made 42 space flights during the years 1964 through 1985. Electrocardiographic examinations were performed before, during and after flight. The most common ECG abnormality recorded was extrasystolic arrhythmia that occurred very frequently during provocative tests. In long-term flights changes in the phase of ventricular repolarization were predominant due to the effects of microgravity and other fright factors. The ECG changes were transient and of insignificant prognostic value. Long after return to the Earth three cosmonauts developed ECG changes typical of myocardial infarction, hypertension or hypertension combined with latent ischemic heart disease. It is maintained that these pathologies were not caused by the exposure to space flight effects.