Eli5: What would be the protocol for the case of an Astronaut suffering a heart attack or similar serious medical condition, (and has it ever happenend before?) on the ISS?
In: 1111
They’re extremely selective when picking people to go into space. Only the healthiest people go, physically and mentally. So semi-preventable things like heart attacks are a low risk.
But they can happen, anyways. They have all kinds of medication on board, all kinds of surgical equipment. They would never consider something like an open heart surgery but simpler things like repairing broken bones, they have equipment on board to help with.
They also have a few billion dollars of staffing and tech on earth ready to help them. So the vast majority of injuries or medical events can be resolved via a doctor walking them through the steps.
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