Heparin effect on blood viscosity.

The effect of heparin on blood viscosity was investigated in a group of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and preinfarction angina (PA), whose blood viscosity was elevated. Viscosity was measured with Cannon, Fenske, and Routine viscometers. Kinematic viscosity, bath and whole blood, plasma, and serum viscosity were determined as well as dependent parameters (fibrinogen, serum proteins, number of platelets, and hematocrit). All of them were found to increase, and it was significantly proved that intravenous heparin immediately decreased plasma viscosity, but has a lesser effect on serum and whole blood viscosity. A dose of 1 cc = 50 mg = 5000 IU intravenous heparin, will maintain this decrease for a month. In our four-week-study, 1 cc i.v. heparin was administered at 6-hour intervals for the first 2 weeks, and 2 cc heparin subcutaneous injections were administered at 12-hour intervals for the next 2 weeks. We found that heparin also decreased fibrinogen, hematocrit, serum alpha 2 globulin, and number of platelets. Hyperviscosity, hypercoagulability, and the increase of platelet adhesiveness arae some of the most important physiopathological alterations of AMI and PA. The decrease of blood viscosity due to heparin is one of the most important and beneficial effects of it in this pathology.