When blood viscosity increases it can cause a condition known as hyperviscosity. Viscosity is determined in part by the amount of hematocrit, red blood cells, white blood cells, and proteins in the blood. Viscosity determines how well a person's blood flows through the veins which can affect how efficiently oxygen is transported to tissues and organs throughout the body as well as how much work is required by the heart to pump the blood. A simpler definition would be the thickness of the blood. Viscosity is a measurement of the blood's resistance to flow. Description: Viscosity Blood Test (Labcorp)
