Room: Karl Dean Ballroom B1
Purpose: Risk of cardiac diseases, such as heart attack, increases greatly with high blood viscosity. Also, turbulent blood flow allows the development of atherosclerotic plaque in vasculature. Presently available medicines, such as Aspirin, may reduce blood viscosity, however, only to worsen the turbulence because the Reynolds number goes up as the viscosity lowers. Here, I will report our Magneto-Rheology (MR) research that addresses both viscosity reduction and turbulence suppression simultaneously.
Methods: When a strong Magnetic Field is applied along the blood flow direction, red blood cells are polarized, and aggregated into short chains, which lowers the viscosity along the flow direction. Concurrently, motions deviated from the flow direction are slowed, thus suppresses the turbulence, as evidenced in a system of in-vitro blood flowing through a capillary channel placed inside field. Viscosity, before and after the MR treatment, has been measured as well. For in-vivo, a small magnet was surgically implanted adjacent to the jugular vein in mice to examine the atherosclerotic plaque formation. For clinical application, an electromagnet device is designed such a way that only wrist area of right arm would expose to field. Then blood pressure is monitored from the left arm.
Results: For one blood sample original viscosity was 3.65cp. The treatment reduced it to 3.2cp, down by 13%. Similar effect was observed in mice as well, 17% lower viscosity. A person with BP 140/99 mmHg has been subjected to 1T field for 10 minutes, consequently, BP was reduced to 115/75.
Conclusion: This study indicates there is definite effect of Magnetic Field on Blood Pressure in human. With FDA approval we are now proceeding with clinical trials. Upon successful completion, we expect to establish a standard operating procedure for this MR therapy. Besides, we are preparing more mice for plaque development study.
Funding Support, Disclosures, and Conflict of Interest: American Heart Association