Gender difference in rheological properties of blood and risk of cardiovascular diseases. Mathematical modeling and experimental study

We hypothesized that due to monthly bloodloss, the mechanical properties of blood of premenopausal women are superior to men, and place them at less risk for cardiovascular diseases than men in any age group. This hypothesis was validated theoretically and experimentally. It was found that male blood possesses an increased viscosity, RBC aggregability and RBC rigidity due to higher level of RBC concentration and significant difference in RBC age distribution in male blood compared to premenopausal female blood. Decreased deformability and increased aggregability of RBCs along with increased blood viscosity are known as risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, this difference in mechanical properties of female and male blood may be the reason for the increased risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases of men as compared to women of reproductive age