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[Structural viscosity of the blood]
Zeitschrift Fur Die Gesamte Innere Medizin Und Ihre Grenzgebiete
|November 1, 1977
Summary
Blood viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate, showing structural-viscous behavior. High shear rates approach Newtonian flow, with viscosity correlating to hematocrit and fibrinogen levels.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Hematology
Context:
- Blood exhibits complex flow properties beyond simple viscosity.
- Understanding blood rheology is crucial in various physiological and pathological conditions.
Purpose:
- To investigate the rheological behavior of blood across a range of shear rates.
- To determine correlations between blood viscosity and key hematological parameters.
Summary:
- Measurements of blood viscosity were performed on 34 healthy individuals using a rotational viscosimeter at shear rates from 218.7 to 1,312 sec-1.
- Blood demonstrated significant shear-thinning (structural-viscous behavior) at medium shear rates, with viscosity decreasing as shear rate increased.
- At high shear rates, viscosity decrease was minimal, suggesting a trend towards Newtonian fluid behavior. Statistically significant correlations were found between viscosity and hematocrit, erythrocyte count, and plasma fibrinogen levels.
Impact:
- Provides insights into the non-Newtonian nature of blood flow.
- Highlights the influence of hematological factors on blood rheology.
- Contributes to a better understanding of blood's physical properties in healthy individuals.