Faculty Mentor
Erik Seedhouse
Abstract
Limited research exists on the challenges of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while wearing a spacesuit/pressure suit; but, during a space mission or following spacecraft egress, astronauts may need to perform Basic Life Support (BLS) on a crewmember. BLS consists of CPR and External Chest Compressions (ECC). In an emergency, astronauts may not have time to remove their intravehicular (IVA) spacesuits/pressure suits or wait for their heart rates to return to resting conditions and, therefore, would have to perform CPR while physically exerted. This study sought to evaluate the physiological exertion on rescuer performance while performing ECCs over 6 minutes while wearing a commercially available IVA spacesuit supplied by Final Frontier Design (FFD). Twelve (12) participants were divided into three groups balanced by age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). Each group performed three trials: Performing CPR without wearing the IVA spacesuit, performing CPR while wearing the IVA spacesuit, and performing CPR while wearing the IVA spacesuit following physical exertion. The sequence in which trials were performed was randomized across groups. Heart rate and blood pressure readings were taken before and after each trial. Analysis suggests that the addition of the suit alone increased heart rate and, therefore, physiological stress while performing CPR, and with physical exertion adding even more stress.
Recommended Citation
Lenehan, Marielle
(2025)
"Evaluating the Physiological Effects of a Spacesuit While Performing CPR,"
Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 8
, Article 2.
Available at:
https://commons.erau.edu/beyond/vol8/iss1/2