• USING MATHEMATICAL RELATIONS TO DEDUCE THE RATE OF CLOT DISSOLUTION IN THE HUMAN CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

Abstract

In this work, we made the hypothesis that the velocity of blood in the human circulatory system has an effect on the dissolution of cylindrical non – occlusive blood clots. The dissolution of clot is not only dependent on the biochemical setting but also on the power dissipated along the clot by the blood. Our prediction is that the rate of thrombolysis is faster when blood flow velocity is turbulent than when blood flow velocity is laminar through an axially directed channel along the clot. Our aim is to study the effect of each of the blood flow velocities on the rate of non – occlusive blood clot lysis and to derive a mathematical model for the process of thrombolysis in each case. The observed data fitted well to the model and confirmed the expected increase in the dissolution rate when blood flow transitioned to turbulent from laminar flow regime.