Establishing a VTE Risk Score for Astronauts Algorithm

NASA discovered blood clots forming in astronauts during spaceflight missions and launched a medical investigation into the risks. Researchers, working with NASA's Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer, identified blood stagnation in the left jugular vein as the dominant risk factor for clots in microgravity. The team also determined that other thrombosis-related factors can contribute to clot development. Based on these findings, NASA developed a risk-scoring algorithm that recommends preventive anticoagulation when stasis is detected—either alone or combined with other identified risk factors.

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