Hemorheological disturbances and characteristic parameters in patients with cerebrovascular disease[*]Paper not presented personally, but in the field of the Conference.

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Antonova, Nadia | Velcheva, Irena

Affiliations: Institute of Mechanics and Biomechanics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 4, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria E‐mail: antonova@imbm.bas.bg | Department of Neurology, Medical University, Tzarigradsko shosse, 4 km, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

Abstract: Whole blood and plasma viscosity were measured of 90 patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and 56 healthy individuals by Couette rotational viscometer Contraves Low Shear 30 at a steady flow. Plasma viscosity was measured with capillary viscometer of Ubbelohde type. Two subgroups of patients were investigated: 23 patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and 67 patients with chronic cerebral infarctions (CCI). They were compared with two control groups: 56 healthy individuals without risk factors for stroke and 37 randomly selected subjects with risk factors for stroke. It is established significant elevation of plasma viscosity in the patients with cerebral ischemia. The elevation of blood viscosity was most pronounced at shear rate of 94.5 s^{-1}. This comparison is confirmed by the criterion, using blood rigidity number h defined by the formula of Whittington and Harkness. Conclusion is drawn from our study that chronic ischemic cerebrovascular disorders are characterized with chronic hyperviscosity.

Keywords: Cerebrovascular disease, blood and plasma viscosity, blood rigidity number

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 21, no. 3-4, pp. 405-408, 1999