Menopause-related change in plasma viscosity

Menopause-related changes in hemorheological parameters were assessed in 129 healthy women aged 45–54 years undergoing a routine health examination. Menopausal status was confirmed by hormonal measurements. There were no significant differences in blood cell filterability, erythrocytes rigidity index and haematocrit between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. However, postmenopausal women had higher plasma viscosity than premenopausal women and the increase in plasma viscosity could not be explained by a weak but not significant rise in fibrinogen in postmenopausal women. These results suggest that menopausal changes in blood rheology are due to plasma viscosity rather than to blood cell filterability or red cell deformability and may somewhat contribute to the increased risk of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women.