Apparent viscosity of whole human blood at various hydrostatic pressures—I. Studies on anticoagulated blood employing a new capillary viscometer

Abstract

A capillary viscometer for the determination of apparent viscosity of whole blood and other blood systems has been designed to operate in a hydrostatic pressure range up to 545.4 × 10³ kg/m² (775lb/in², 53 atm). Provision has been made for a wide range of shear rates by varying the flow rate. This special viscometer which requires 10 ml of blood is free from a blood-air interface. No significant changes in viscosity of human whole blood, anticoagulated with heparin, was found at the different hydrostatic pressures employed.