http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2009/05/03/richard-lehmans-journal-blog-3-may-2009/ Just another blogs.bmj.com weblog Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:19:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2009/05/03/richard-lehmans-journal-blog-3-may-2009/#comment-4286 Les Simpson Mon, 11 May 2009 04:12:27 +0000 http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/?p=672#comment-4286 I am not going to attempt to put this into poetry, but Richard should be aware of the connections between a regular low intake of alcohol, exercise and smoking. The beneficial effects of all 3 factors is they reduce blood viscosity. Alcohol stimulates the release from cell membranes of dihomgammalinolenic acid, resulting in the formation of prostaglandin E1. In 1974 PGE1 was shown to improve red cell membrane fluidity. As the membrane content of DHGLA is limited, prolonged drinking exhausts the supply. There are several studies which show that regular low intensity activity lowers blood viscosity. Smoking reduces red cell deformability and increases blood viscosity. Within 8 weeks of cessation of smoking blood rheology returns to normal. I am not going to attempt to put this into poetry, but Richard should be aware of the connections between a regular low intake of alcohol, exercise and smoking.
The beneficial effects of all 3 factors is they reduce blood viscosity.
Alcohol stimulates the release from cell membranes of dihomgammalinolenic acid, resulting in the formation of prostaglandin E1. In 1974 PGE1 was shown to improve red cell membrane fluidity. As the membrane content of DHGLA is limited, prolonged drinking exhausts the supply.
There are several studies which show that regular low intensity activity lowers blood viscosity.
Smoking reduces red cell deformability and increases blood viscosity. Within 8 weeks of cessation of smoking blood rheology returns to normal.

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