When the blood is thicker, it moves sluggishly there is an increased risk for red cells to adhere to one another and form clots, and for there not to be enough oxygenation in a given time to areas such as the legs or the brain, and to vital organs. "Viscosity is an indication of the 'thickness' of the blood, or its resistance to flowing normally. "For overall heart health, having a normal viscosity would be ideal," explains Dr. But it's something that should be on most people's radar for heart health, says Mary Ann Bauman, MD, a national physician spokeswoman for the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement. Most people have no idea how thick their blood is, nor do they know how to make it thinner. If you didn't know the role blood viscosity plays in heart health, you're not alone. "I was a runner and ate pretty well before the heart attack, so since then I've just tried to concentrate on anything that improves my health, like acupuncture, massage, yoga, meditation, and, of course, running." Blood Thickness: What You Need to Know "The doctors aren't really sure what caused it, although they did say I have the stickier type of blood," she says. Her doctors suspected blood thickness shouldered part of the blame. Despite living a healthy, active lifestyle, she had a heart attack at age 31. That was the case for Sarah Klena, a schoolteacher in Orange County, Fla. According to a health report from Harvard University, people with thicker, more viscous blood may be at a greater risk for a heart attack or for developing heart disease. But there may be another critical blood-related issue to consider - blood viscosity, or blood thickness. If you're at all concerned about heart health, you probably have a good understanding of cholesterol and blood pressure, and likely know your numbers.
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