Study of Blood Viscosity with Added Sodium Nitrate and Temperature Variance: A Potential Therapy to Regulate Blood Flow After Induced Hypothermia

Author

Brianna Munnich, Olivet Nazarene UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Summer 2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Dr. Willa Harper

Abstract

The human body has natural systems for vasodilation which are fueled by nitric oxide production, but in cases of cardiac disfunction and stress nitric oxide can be inhibited. In this study, nitric oxide was studied as a mediator for the blood rush experienced from the warming after induced hypothermia. Nitric oxide (NO) was introduced through sodium nitrate, which was aimed to reduce the speed and turbulence of blood flow through interaction between NO and the active site of hemoglobin. A viscometer was used to examine the rate of blood flow, while the temperature was varied to simulate the conditions of induced hypothermia. Two temperatures were tested to simulate the warming following induced hypothermia, and three concentrations of sodium nitrate were added to the samples to examine the correlation between flow and concentration. The results indicated that the 0.11 M NaNO₃ expressed constant blood viscosity for both temperatures, the 0.09 M NaNO₃ exhibited some mediation, and the 0.10 M showed the least mediation.

Recommended Citation

Munnich, Brianna, "Study of Blood Viscosity with Added Sodium Nitrate and Temperature Variance: A Potential Therapy to Regulate Blood Flow After Induced Hypothermia" (2019). Pence-Boyce STEM Student Scholarship. 7.
https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/pence_boyce/7