Whole blood viscosity

Whole blood viscosity refers to the resistance caused by friction when two adjacent parallel fluid layers displace each other when blood flows. Whole blood viscosity is a comprehensive manifestation of serum viscosity, hematocrit, deformability and aggregation ability of red blood cells, rheological properties of platelets and white blood cells. In addition, blood viscosity is also affected by blood physical and chemical properties (such as temperature, pH, osmolality, etc.), and vascular factors. Blood viscosity is also related to blood perfusion, so whole blood viscosity has two kinds of viscosity: high shear and low shear. High shear viscosity reflects the deformability of red blood cells, low deformation ability, high blood viscosity; low shear viscosity reflects the ability of red blood cells to aggregate, red blood cells aggregate with each other, and blood viscosity increases. The measurement of whole blood viscosity can provide a reference for many clinical diseases, especially for the diagnosis and treatment and prevention of prethrombotic state and thrombotic diseases.

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