Blood viscosity and risk of cardiovascular events: the Edinburgh Artery Study

Abstract

Summary.We examined the relationships of whole blood viscosity and its major determinants to incident cardiovascular events (ischaemic heart disease and stroke) in a prospective study of a random population sample of 1592 men and women aged 55-74 years (the Edinburgh Artery Study). 272 fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events occurred during 5 years of follow-up (cumulative incidence 17 . 1%). Age and sex adjusted mean levels of blood viscosity (3 . 70 v 3 . 55 mPa.s), haematocrit (46 . 2 v 45 . 7%), haematocrit-corrected blood viscosity (3 . 57 v 3 . 48 mPa.s), plasma viscosity (1 . 35 v 1 . 33 mPa.s) and fibrinogen (2 . 88 v 2 . 67 g/l) were significantly higher in subjects who experienced events than in subjects who did not. The relationships of these rheological variables to cardiovascular events were at least as strong as those of conventional risk factors (smoking habit, diastolic blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). After adjustment for these conventional risk factors, the associations of blood viscosity and haematocrit remained significant for stroke, but not for total events; whereas the associations of plasma viscosity and fibrinogen remained significant for total events and for stroke.These findings suggest that increased blood viscosity may be one plausible biological mechanism through which increases in haematocrit and fibrinogen may promote ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Randomized controlled trials of viscosity reduction in the prevention of cardiovascular events (e.g. by lowering high levels of haematocrit or plasma fibrinogen) are suggested.

Whole blood viscosity and arterial thrombotic events in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…In contrast, the subset of SLE patients with arterial thrombotic events did have significantly elevated WBV. This is in concordance with population studies, which suggest that high blood viscosity is associated with arterial events such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (11)(12)(13). It is possible that WBV is a nontraditional risk factor linked to atherothrombotic disease in SLE.…”

“…Because multiple traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as age, male sex, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking are all associated with increased viscosity, the correlation between viscosity and atherothrombotic events decreases after adjustment for these risk factors (9,14). However, there may be an additional, independent increase in risk for such events associated with high blood viscosity itself (12,13,15).…”

Earthing (Grounding) the Human Body Reduces Blood Viscosity—a Major Factor in Cardiovascular Disease

“…Fifty-five percent (55%) of major cardiovascular events occurred in the highest blood-viscosity group versus only 4% in the lowest blood-viscosity group. 39 The role of increased blood viscosity in the pathogenesis of occlusive arterial disease was clearly and succinctly described by Kensey. 15 Endothelial dysfunction, mechanical shear forces, and alterations in blood flow mechanics at arterial bifurcations and areas of low blood flow eddies are correlated with plaque progression in the coronary vasculature.…”

Plasma Viscosity and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

“…Similar findings were also recently reported from the Edinburgh Artery Study cohort of men and women aged 55 to 74 years. 8 To date, several prospective studies have convincingly documented an association between fibrinogen and CHD. 5 In some of these analyses, an association with stroke (Gothenburg Study, Framingham Study 8 ) was also reported.…”

“…Plasma viscosity, as well as fibrinogen and white blood cell count, was positively associated with the incidence of CHD events in a population-based study of middle-aged men. 6,7 Plasma viscosity and fibrinogen were also associated with incident CHD and stroke in a study of older men and women 8 and with recurrence of stroke in another study. 9 In the first cross-sectional study of the MONICA Project, Augsburg, 1984 to 1985, plasma viscosity but not fibrinogen was measured in addition to conventional risk factors.…”