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[Blood viscosity measurements in coronary infarct patients]
Insights
Blood viscosity is significantly higher in patients with myocardial infarction compared to healthy individuals. This elevated viscosity, linked to factors like hematocrit and fibrinogen, may serve as a risk factor for heart attacks.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Hematology
Context:
- Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- Understanding factors contributing to MI pathogenesis is crucial for prevention and treatment.
Purpose:
- To investigate the relationship between blood viscosity and myocardial infarction.
- To identify potential risk factors associated with increased blood viscosity in MI patients.
Summary:
- Blood viscosity was measured in patients with acute and chronic myocardial infarction and compared to a healthy control group.
- Significantly higher blood viscosity was observed in MI patients across all severity levels.
- Elevated hematocrit, fibrinogen, cholesterol, total lipids, triglycerides, and uric acid levels were noted in MI patients, potentially explaining the increased viscosity.
Impact:
- Findings suggest that increased blood viscosity could be an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction.
- This research may inform future strategies for cardiovascular risk assessment and management.
Abstract:
In 63 patients with myocardial infarctions happening longer ago as well as in 17 patients with acute myocardial infarction the viscosity of blood was measured and compared with the values of a control group of 34 healthy persons which was compiled after exclusion of known factors effecting on viscosity, such as hyperfibrinogenaemia or increase of hematocrit. The viscosities of the patients with infarction were significantly higher in all degrees of severity than those of the healthy persons. The hematocrit value, the fibrinogen and cholesterol level which were significantly higher in patients with infarction than in healthy persons were regarded as an explanation for this. Apart from this there existed an increase of the factors of risk total lipids, triglycerides and uric acid in the serum in cases with infarction. The increased blood viscosity may be regarded as a factor of risk for the myocardial infarction, according to our investigations.