Prolonged psychoemotional stress decreases blood fluidity

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ernst, E. | Baumann, M. | Matrai, A.

Affiliations: Klinik für Physikalische Medizin der Universität München, Ziemssenstr. 1, 8000 München 2

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor J. Dormandy

Abstract: Final exams were chosen as a model for psychoemotional stress. 13 healthy candidates were tested for haemorheological parameters (blood and plasma viscosity, red cell filterability, red cell aggregation) firstly just before the most crucial examination and secondly 3 weeks after the successful exams. The results indicate that stress increases blood and plasma viscosity and decreases filterability, while it leaves red cell aggregation unaltered. It could be postulated that psychoemotional stress exhibits its negative potential on cardiovascular disease partly through its ill effects on blood rheology.

Keywords: Haemorheology, viscosity, red cell filterability, red cell aggregation, stress, cardiovascular risk factor

DOI: 10.3233/CH-1984-4407

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 423-429, 1984