THE BLOOD VISCOSITY IN PATIENTS WITH DEEP VENOUS THROMBOTIC RISK UNDER LOW-MOLECULAR WEIGHT HEPARIN TREATMENT

N. CEAMITRU*, ILEANA ION*, V. LUPESCU**, CRISTINA CEAMITRU*, CECILIA ADUMITRESI*, VIOLETA SAPIRA*

*Department of Pathophysiology, ** Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, “Ovidius” University of Constanta, Romania

Abstract. Prophylaxis of deep venous thrombosis with low molecular weight heparin has been studied in many clinical trials but the effect on the hemorheological parameters is steel uncertain. Our study checks the hemorheologic effects of administration of LMWH in thromboembolism prevention measuring the whole blood viscosity with a cone/plate viscometer at high shear rate (600 – 1125 sec–1). The study was performed on a group of sixteen patients, hospitalized in orthopedic surgery department for hip fractures. Hematocrit, fibrinogen and whole blood viscosity were measured before operation, immediately after it and seven days later. We found that LMWH decrease hematocrit, fibrinogen and whole blood viscosity at a high shear rate. The decrease of blood viscosity could be one of the most important effects of LMWH in deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis.

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