Improvement of Medical Supplies to Help with Digestive System Disorders during Space Flight

Analysis of digestive system (DS) disorders in cosmonauts, participants in 83 missions on the Mir orbital station and ISS , showed that episodic DS problems were successfully cured with the help of onboard medications. A comparative assessment of space flight (SF) adversities and digestive disease risk factors resulted in drawing up a list of predictable digestive diseases that includes gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and functional dyspesia. Following the ensuing recommendations, the onboard medical kits have been modernized to include proton pump inhibitors, H2-histamine receptor antagonists, prokinetics of new classes, antibacterials, ursodesocholic acid preparations, and agents for the relief of symptoms of intestinal dysbacteriosis. A broad use of prefilled syringes is advisable.