title: [The physiopathological basis for hemorrheological changes in diabetes].
abstract: Changes in blood viscosity and blood rheology have been reported in patients with diabetes mellitus. Rheology of blood flow in microcirculation is influenced by both general properties of blood (the so-called structural viscosity) and local conditions such as vessel size, blood flow rate, local pH and especially the presence of platelet aggregates. In patients affected by diabetes mellitus with or without vascular complications and in patients with impaired glucose tolerance, platelet hypercoagulability and hyperaggregability and a reduced prostacyclin production are present. Each one among these alterations can affect the rheology of blood flow. As a consequence of the blood clotting activation, plasma concentration of soluble fibrin complexes is increased and it can be responsible for an increase in plasma viscosity. Moreover, the increased tendency of platelets to aggregate observed in diabetes mellitus may result in the formation of aggregates which markedly increase viscosity in microcirculation. Finally, the reduced prostacyclin formation may be responsible for the reduction of erythrocyte deformability. Thus, changes in blood viscosity and rheological blood flow disturbances can be considered as a consequence of hemostatic system alterations.
mesh_terms: D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000097:blood; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D011464:Epoprostenol
vernacular_title: Le basi fisiopatologiche di alcune alterazioni emoreologiche nel diabete.