Blood viscosity measurements in coronary infarct patients

: 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.