Pharmacological countermeasures for the prevention and treatment of toxic radiation exposure in space flight

Ionizing radiation toxicity in space poses a significant occupational risk to astronauts and is an area of critical concern for space traveling agencies. However, despite technological advances in other areas, a viable solution to this problem has not been developed. The focus of this capstone is to briefly review space radiation types, doses, and toxicities and then critically evaluate the current clinical and experimental data on pharmacological prevention and treatment of radiation toxicity. The document is intended to serve as a guide for space exploration bodies regarding available and future efficacious therapies for toxic radiation exposure and to assist with the development of a standard protocol for the prevention and treatment of radiation toxicity in space. In addition, guidance is offered for future research directions in this field of study. Based on this work, radiopreventive pharmacotherapy should be limited to the treatment of high-level solar particle event exposures. The only agent currently acceptable for this purpose is high-dose amifostine, in addition to traditional supportive measure and medications. Other agents and the treatment of low-level radiation are not recommended at this time given the limited risk/benefit ratio of these agents.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Public Health

Level thesis:degree_level

Master

Grantor

The University of Texas Medical Branch

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• John Thomas Langell

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jonathan Ward, PhD

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Richard Jennings, MD
• Jonathan Clark, MD

• space radiation
• radiation toxicity
• galactic radiation
• cosmic radiation

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the TDL web site by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Dc Identifier Other

etd-03062006-230848

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:utmb-ir.tdl.org:2152.3/35